Key Takeaways
- Senate panel approved a bill granting blue passports to ex-legislators' children under 28.
- Politicians and experts condemn the move, calling it 'shameful' and undermining democracy.
- Critics argue that such privileges perpetuate social injustice and undermine public trust.
A bill allowing blue passports for ex-legislators’ children under the age of 28 has faced widespread criticism after being approved by a Senate panel. The legislation, if enacted, would align these individuals with existing entitlements available to dependent children of retired Grade-22 government officers.
State Minister for Interior Tallal Chaudhry denied supporting the bill, stating his opposition when it was introduced in the Senate and that he had advised the Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control to seek cabinet approval before proceeding. Despite his reservations, the committee passed the legislation.
Senior PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique condemned the bill, comparing it to a recently approved privilege for lawmakers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). He argued that such actions undermine elected houses and perpetuate social injustice, stating: ‘Until the extraordinary privileges enjoyed by politicians, bureaucrats, higher judiciary, and senior military officers are brought to an appropriate level, injustice will continue to gnaw at society like termites, fostering social discord and public unrest.’
Journalist Fahd Husain called the bill 'shameless,' adding that it is proof of the widening trust deficit between ‘elite politicians’ and citizens. Digital expert Habibullah Khan remarked: ‘Our ordinary passport is laughed at because of their inability to make policies and pass reforms to generate wealth in this country and spread it equitably.’ He further stated that this bill allows lawmakers to 'bypass the consequences of their incompetence.'
Journalist Iftikhar Firdous termed the legislation an attempt to secure ‘foreign escape routes’ for ex-legislators. He wrote: ‘Pakistan deserved leaders whose futures are invested here, not parked in offshore accounts while asking the world to invest in the country.’ Amir Zia, a journalist and TV host, suggested that blue passports should only be for officials on diplomatic assignments – and even then, only until their term lasts. He stated: ‘Why should every MNA, MPA and senator along with their families get them? This is also a form of corruption. These undue privileges undermine democracy.’
Historian Ilhan Niaz, a professor at Quaid-i-Azam University, argued that all official and diplomatic passports should be eliminated for everyone except officials themselves. He said: ‘Honour lies in declining privileges, not in exercising them or expanding their scope.’ Umair Javed, a sociology professor at Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), remarked on the 'Pakistani state existing to be mined for class and status mobility, [especially] by petit bourgeois and nouveau riche segments.' He added: ‘Recent legislation in KP reaffirms this too.’
The criticism highlights ongoing concerns about social justice and public trust. Critics argue that such privileges perpetuate a cycle of inequality and undermine the democratic process. The debate over these passports continues to be a focal point for discussions on political reform and equitable governance.
‘Until the extraordinary privileges enjoyed by politicians, bureaucrats, higher judiciary, and senior military officers are brought to an appropriate level, injustice will continue to gnaw at society like termites, fostering social discord and public unrest.’
Khawaja Saad Rafique, Senior PML-N leader
‘Our ordinary passport is laughed at because of their inability to make policies and pass reforms to generate wealth in this country and spread it equitably.’
Fahd Husain, Journalist
‘Pakistan deserved leaders whose futures are invested here, not parked in offshore accounts while asking the world to invest in the country.’
Iftikhar Firdous, Journalist and TV host
