Senate seeks action over delays in Passport and nationality verification

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control has raised concerns over delays in verifying the nationality of Pakistani citizens seeking emergency travel documents and questioned the issuance of short-term passports by Pakistani missions abroad.

The committee met at the Old PIPS Hall in Parliament Lodges under the chairmanship of Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman, where members discussed passport regulations, consular services, border security and the coordination of law-enforcement agencies.

The committee reviewed a briefing by the Ministry of Interior on Rule 18 of the Passport Rules 2021, which governs the issuance of Emergency Travel Documents (ETDs) to Pakistani citizens stranded abroad or being repatriated to Pakistan.

Chairman Faisal Saleem Rehman questioned the delays in verifying the nationality of applicants seeking such documents. He also expressed concern over delays in checking family records, a process that involves Pakistani diplomatic missions and the Intelligence Bureau.

The committee also took up complaints regarding the validity period of passports issued by Pakistani embassies and consulates in some countries. Members noted reports that passports were sometimes being issued for only one to three years, rather than the standard five-year validity period.

Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman informed members that he had introduced a legislative bill in the Senate proposing changes to passport rules with the aim of making procedures more convenient for overseas Pakistanis.

The committee also examined coordination between the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in matters involving taxation and enforcement.

Members questioned the legal basis for FIA investigations into matters connected with the FBR and called for clearer coordination between the two institutions to prevent overlapping responsibilities and jurisdictional confusion.

Another part of the meeting focused on notifications granting the Frontier Corps and Pakistan Rangers powers to act against smuggling in certain border areas, including former FATA and PATA regions.

The State Minister and Interior Ministry officials told the committee that the additional powers had been granted in response to challenging law-and-order conditions in the affected areas.

Members stressed the importance of clearly defining the operational responsibilities of agencies involved in border security and anti-smuggling operations. They called for improved coordination to ensure enforcement activities are conducted efficiently and without institutional overlap.

The meeting was attended by Senators Talha Mahmood, Saifullah Abro, Shahadat Awan, Mir Dostan Khan Domki, Umer Farooq, Jam Saifullah Khan, Palwasha Khan and Dilawar Khan.

The committee’s discussions highlighted the need to streamline nationality verification and passport procedures for overseas Pakistanis while improving coordination among agencies responsible for immigration, taxation and border security.