Pakistan Senate rejects bill to restrict diplomatic passports for ministers and advisers

Pakistan’s Senate has rejected a motion to introduce a bill seeking to restrict diplomatic passport privileges for ministers of state, advisers, special assistants and senior government officials while approving several other legislative measures and raising concerns over electoral constituency changes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Pakistan’s Senate has rejected a motion to introduce a bill seeking to restrict diplomatic passport privileges for ministers of state, advisers, special assistants and senior government officials while approving several other legislative measures and raising concerns over electoral constituency changes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The proposed Passports (Amendment) Bill, 2026 was moved by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman along with Senators Samina Mumtaz Zehri and Saifullah Abro. The legislation aimed to ensure that diplomatic passports were issued according to official diplomatic responsibilities rather than automatically granted on the basis of government rank.

Under the proposed amendment ministers of state advisers to the prime minister special assistants, federal secretaries other than the foreign secretary and director generals would no longer qualify for diplomatic passports solely because of their positions. Existing holders would have been required to surrender such passports within 30 days of the amendment taking effect.

Interior Minister of State Tallal Chaudhry opposed the proposal. Senator Rehman argued that diplomatic passports should primarily be reserved for officials performing diplomatic duties while PPP Senator Zamir Hussain Ghumro maintained that ministers of state were parliamentary representatives.

In another development the Senate passed the Consumer Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2026 despite government opposition. The bill moved by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri received 10 votes in favour and four against. A heated exchange between PML-N Senator Nasir Butt and PPP Senator Sherry Rehman prompted PPP lawmakers to walk out.

The upper house also unanimously approved an amendment to the Islamabad Capital Territory (Prohibition of Plastic Book Covers) Act, 2026 removing an exception that permitted plastic book covers. Lawmakers raised concerns about claims that some plastic products were biodegradable noting that the country reportedly lacked adequate facilities to test such claims.

Meanwhile PTI parliamentary leader in the Senate Barrister Ali Zafar questioned changes to descriptions of certain constituencies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa alleging that revisions had been made without public objections. He called on the Election Commission of Pakistan to explain the legal basis for the changes. The government said it would seek clarification from the commission.

The Senate also unanimously adopted a resolution marking Kashmir Black Day on October 27, reaffirming support for the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination and calling for a peaceful resolution in line with United Nations resolutions.