Parliamentarians Raise Concerns in Interior Committee
Members of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior have raised serious concerns over the treatment of Pakistani parliamentarians at foreign airports.
The issue was discussed during a committee meeting chaired by Raja Khurram Nawaz on Tuesday. Lawmakers said such incidents should be taken up through formal diplomatic channels.
MNA Qadir Patel shared his personal experience with the committee. He said he was subjected to additional questioning at a foreign airport because of his travel history to Iraq.
According to Patel, airport authorities questioned him about his Iraqi visa and asked why he had travelled to Iraq three times. He told them that all visits were made in an official capacity.
Patel said he was allowed to proceed only after airport officials consulted a third officer.
He also mentioned a similar case involving former Sindh minister Sohail Anwar Siyal, who was reportedly sent for secondary screening at a foreign airport.
Call for Equal Respect for Pakistani Representatives
Qadir Patel said issues faced by Pakistani lawmakers abroad should not be ignored. He urged the government to raise the matter officially with relevant foreign authorities.
He said parliamentarians represent Pakistan regardless of their personal background or religious affiliation. Therefore, they should be treated with dignity during international travel.
Patel also stressed that any international arrangements involving Pakistani lawmakers should apply equally to all elected representatives.
The committee members said the matter was linked to the country’s diplomatic standing and the respect given to its official representatives abroad.
They called for better coordination between Pakistan’s foreign missions, immigration authorities and relevant ministries to prevent such incidents in the future.
Law Minister Proposes Fee Reform Mechanism
During the same meeting, Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar discussed proposed changes related to government fee structures.
He questioned why fresh legislative amendments were needed every year to revise official fees.
Tarar suggested creating a legal mechanism that would allow annual fee limits to be set in advance. He said the federal cabinet could be authorised to revise and renew fee schedules when required.
According to the law minister, such a system is already followed in many places. He said legislation is not usually repeated only to update renewal fees.
The proposal was discussed as part of the committee’s broader review of legal, administrative, immigration and passport-related reforms.
The meeting highlighted two key concerns. One focused on the treatment of Pakistani lawmakers abroad. The other dealt with improving government procedures at home.
Committee members said both issues required practical solutions, better coordination and stronger institutional follow-up.
