Govt to end lifetime blue passport facility for families of retired grade 21 and 22 officers

The federal government has announced plans to abolish the lifetime facility of official Blue Passports for the children

ISLAMABAD:  The federal government has announced plans to abolish the lifetime facility of official Blue Passports for the children and families of retired Grade-21 and Grade-22 government officers, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry informed the Senate on Monday, October 19, 2026.

The proposed change aims to restrict the use of official travel documents to individuals whose positions or responsibilities justify the privilege. The government intends to introduce legislation to withdraw the facility currently available to the families of retired senior bureaucrats, including former federal secretaries.

The announcement came during a Senate debate over official passport privileges for lawmakers and their families, raising questions about the eligibility criteria for such documents and whether similar facilities should be available to different categories of public officeholders.

Law Minister Supports Proposed Changes

Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar also supported the proposal, maintaining that children of retired Grade-21 and Grade-22 officers should not continue receiving official Blue Passports.

The matter was raised by Senator Abdul Qadir, who questioned the existing arrangements and argued that parliamentarians and their families should receive comparable treatment if the privilege remained available to the children of retired senior officials.

He suggested that the government should either withdraw the facility from categories considered ineligible or extend similar benefits to lawmakers and their families to ensure consistency in the policy.

Around 30,000 Blue Passports Cancelled

During his address, Talal Chaudhry revealed that the government had reduced the number of official Blue Passports from approximately 75,000 to 45,000, cancelling around 30,000 documents considered unnecessary or inactive.

According to the minister, the excessive use of official passports has raised concerns among foreign governments and could affect Pakistan’s efforts to secure easier visa access for its citizens.

He said several countries, including European states and Canada, had expressed reservations about the extensive use of official travel documents.

Chaudhry explained that the number of Blue Passports issued by Pakistan had become a factor in discussions concerning visa-free entry and international travel arrangements. He indicated that restricting unnecessary passport privileges could support the country’s efforts to improve its passport standing and facilitate negotiations with other countries

Separate Legislation to Be Introduced

The Senate also unanimously passed the Passport Amendment Bill 2026 on the same day, proposing amendments to the Passports Act, 1974.

However, the proposed legislation concerning Blue Passports for children of retired senior bureaucrats is a separate measure that the government intends to introduce in the coming days.

The announcement does not mean that the existing facility has already been withdrawn. The proposed change will require the relevant legislative process before the current arrangements can be formally altered.

Who Is Currently Eligible for Blue Passports?

Under a notification dated August 9, 2023, serving and retired BPS-22 officers and equivalent officials, along with their spouses, parents and dependent children under the age of 28, are entitled to official Blue Passports.

The government now intends to end the lifetime facility available to the families of retired senior officers, arguing that official passports should primarily serve individuals involved in state business or those whose official positions warrant such documents.

Blue Passports have traditionally facilitated official travel for eligible government officials and other authorised public officeholders.

No change has been announced regarding Red Diplomatic Passports, which remain reserved for designated state dignitaries and diplomats under the applicable rules.