KP Assembly demands blue passports for MPAs

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly adopted unanimously on Monday a resolution seeking issuance of official blue passports to all the members of the provincial legislature.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MPA Nighat Orakzai moved the resolution, demanding that all MPAs should be issued official blue passports for travelling abroad.

Speaker of the KP Assembly Mushtaq Ghani and Provincial Minister Shaukat Yousufzai seconded her resolution.

According to the Ministry of Interior’s Directorate General of Immigration and Passports, three types of passports are issued, including ordinary, diplomatic and official.

An ordinary passport is issued to all citizens of Pakistan while diplomatic is issued to diplomats, president, prime minister, Senate chairman, National Assembly speaker, Chief Justice of Pakistan, governors and chief ministers of provinces and others following approval of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Whereas, official passports are issued to Pakistani nationals who are senators, MNAs, provincial ministers, judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan/High Courts, Officers serving with the government and proceeding abroad on official assignments etc. in pursuance of Para-9 of Passport & Visa Manual, 2006.