Senate moves bill to extend blue passports to lawmakers’ children

ISLAMABAD – A bill proposing the extension of eligibility for blue (official) passports to the children of senators up to the age of 28 has been introduced in the Senate , sparking a debate over parliamentary privileges at a time of rising inflation and economic pressure on the public. The proposed legislation was presented during a private members’ day session and was referred to a relevant committee for further review after majority support in the Upper House. The government expressed reservations over the move. Senator Abdul Qadir, who moved an amendment to the Passports Act 1974, argued that senior civil servants, including officers of grade 22, already enjoy similar facilities for their dependents under specific conditions. He maintained that lawmakers and their families should be granted comparable privileges. He further stated that the measure would not impose any additional financial burden on the state. He also highlighted a gap in the Senate rules, saying that senators serving less than a full six-year term are currently not entitled to official passports, and the bill seeks to address that issue as well. Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry opposed the proposal, stating that existing regulations do not permit issuance of official passports to the children of parliamentarians. He clarified that under current law, dependents of lawmakers are not eligible for such facilities. Following the discussion, Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani sent the bill to the relevant committee for detailed consideration. Meanwhile, opposition senators strongly criticized the recent increase in petroleum prices and utility bills, terming it a heavy burden on the public. PTI Parliamentary Leader in the Senate Syed Ali Zafar described the situation as economic injustice, arguing that the government’s justification of global oil price trends was misleading, as international crude rates had declined. He alleged that higher petroleum levies were being imposed on consu