The Senate Standing Committee on Interior has unanimously approved the Members of Parliament Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which proposes issuing blue passports to the dependent children of senators and members of parliament.
The bill will now move to the next stage of the parliamentary process before it can become law.
Senate Committee Reviews Amendment Bill
The committee meeting was chaired by Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman, while Senator Abdul Qadir presented the proposed amendment.
During the meeting, lawmakers discussed the proposal and its potential impact before unanimously approving the bill.
Proposal Covers Dependent Children
While presenting the bill, Senator Abdul Qadir argued that extending blue passports to lawmakers’ dependent children would not place a significant burden on the government.
He said dependent children of senators and members of parliament up to the age of 28 should be eligible to receive blue passports.
He also urged lawmakers to amend the existing law to accommodate the proposal.
Interior Minister Suggests Cabinet Review
During the discussion, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry suggested referring the bill to the federal cabinet before proceeding further.
However, Senator Abdul Qadir maintained that cabinet approval was not required for the proposed legislation.
Following the discussion, the committee unanimously approved the amendment bill.
Concerns Raised Over Passport Policy
During the meeting, Talal Chaudhry also advised lawmakers to carefully consider the broader impact of changes related to blue and diplomatic passports.
He said such policy decisions could affect Pakistan’s passport ranking and should receive careful consideration as the legislative process continues.
Bill Moves to Next Parliamentary Stage
With the committee’s approval, the amendment bill will now proceed through the remaining stages of the parliamentary process.
The proposal must complete the required legislative procedure before it can officially become law.
