The Senate Committee on Interior has unanimously approved the Members of Parliament Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The proposed legislation includes a provision to issue blue passports to the dependent children of senators and members of parliament.
The meeting was chaired by Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman. During the session, Senator Abdul Qadir presented the amendment bill before the committee for review. After discussing the proposal, the Senate Committee approved the bill without opposition.
According to the proposed amendment, dependent children of senators and members of parliament who are under the age of 28 would become eligible for blue passports if the legislation is enacted. The proposal aims to extend the existing passport facility to qualifying family members of lawmakers.
While presenting the bill, Senator Abdul Qadir said the proposal would not create a significant financial burden on the government. He argued that the law should be amended to allow eligible dependent children to receive blue passports alongside their parents.
During the meeting, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry suggested that the proposal should first be referred to the federal cabinet before moving forward in Parliament. However, Senator Abdul Qadir maintained that cabinet approval was not required before introducing or advancing the legislation.
Following the discussion, the Senate Committee unanimously approved the amendment bill, allowing it to proceed to the next stage of the parliamentary process.
Talal Chaudhry also raised concerns about expanding the eligibility criteria for official and diplomatic passports. He said decisions regarding blue passports should be considered carefully because they may affect Pakistan’s passport ranking and international standing.
The minister emphasized that any policy related to official travel documents should be reviewed with caution. He noted that such decisions could have administrative and diplomatic implications in the future.
The approved bill does not become law immediately. It must now pass through the remaining stages of the legislative process before it can receive final approval and become effective.
If the bill is passed by Parliament, dependent children of senators and members of parliament below the age of 28 will become eligible to receive blue passports under the amended law.
The proposal is part of ongoing legislative discussions regarding the benefits available to elected representatives and their families. Lawmakers are expected to debate the bill further before it reaches the final stage.
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The latest decision by the Senate Committee marks an important step in the legislative process. However, the proposed amendment will only take effect after completing all constitutional and parliamentary requirements.
