Last updated on October 7, 2023
When it comes to traveling the world, the color of your passport can make all the difference. In Pakistan, the divide between those who hold official blue and diplomatic passports and those with ordinary green passports is stark. While the common people with green passports often face visa-related struggles, airport hassles, and foreign integrations, the elites, their spouses, “children” under 28, and even their parents sail through the world of international travel without a care in the world.
At the end of this blog, we have included a list of individuals and categories eligible for official or diplomatic passports in Pakistan, providing transparency and clarity regarding who benefits from these privileges. This list can serve as a reference for readers interested in understanding the criteria for obtaining these passports.
Visa Privileges: Countless Visa-Free Destinations
The first advantage of holding an official blue or diplomatic passport in Pakistan is the extraordinary visa privileges it affords. While green passport holders might spend weeks, even months, securing visas for their dream destinations, those with diplomatic or official passports can traverse the globe with ease. Countless countries extend a warm welcome to bearers of official passports, granting them visa-free access or expedited visa processing.
Seamless Family Travel
The perks of official blue and diplomatic passports extend to family members as well. Spouses, children under 28, and even parents of the elite passport holders enjoy the same seamless travel experiences, reinforcing the divide between the privileged few and the majority.
Should Change Be Advocated?
In a nation where inequality is a pressing concern, the disparity in passport privileges begs the question: Should we advocate for change? Should the system be reevaluated to level the playing field and provide equal opportunities for all Pakistani passport holders?
A Call for Equality
Perhaps it’s time for a call to action—a movement that advocates for equality in travel privileges, ensuring that every Pakistani can explore the world without unnecessary hindrances.
(a) President and Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and
Chief Minister & Governor of Gilgit-Baltistan;
(b) Members of the Senate, Members of the National Assembly, their
spouses, parents and dependent children up to 28 years of age;
(c) the Auditor General of Pakistan, Chairman Federal Public Service
Commission, Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan, Wafaqi
Mohtasib, Federal Tax Ombudsman, Judges of the Supreme Court
of Pakistan, Federal Shariat Court, Supreme Court of Azad Jammu
and Kashmir, Supreme Appellate Court of Gilgit-Baltistan,
High Courts including High Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir
and Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court, Chairman Federal Services
Tribunal, Members Election Commission of Pakistan, their spouses
and dependent children up to 28 years of age;
(d) Speakers of all Provincial Assemblies, Legislative Assemblies of
Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, their spouses and
dependent children up to 28 years of age;
(e) All civil servants in BPS-22, including officers of Senate and
National Assembly Secretariats and armed forces officers of
equivalent rank and their spouses, serving and retired;
(f) Advisors to the Provincial Governments, Azad Jammu and Kashmir
and Gilgit-Baltistan, with the status of Provincial Minister till
completion of tenure;
(g) Members of Provincial Assemblies, Legislative Assemblies of
Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, till completion of
their term;
(h) Chairman of National Accountability Bureau and his spouse;
(i) Chairman and members of the Council of Islamic Ideology;
(j) Federal Additional Secretaries, Senior Joint Secretaries, Chief
Secretaries of the Provinces, BPS-21 Officers of All Pakistan
Services, Additional Secretaries of the Senate and National
Assembly Secretariats, officers of armed forces of equivalent ranks
and their spouses;
(k) Retired Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee and all three
Service Chiefs including their spouses;
(l) Dependent children of the President of Pakistan, Governors of
Provinces, President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Ministers
of Provinces, Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir,
Governor and Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, Special Assistant or Advisor to Prime Minister of Pakistan with the status of Federal
Minister or Minister of State, Federal Secretaries, Chairman Joint
Chiefs of Staff Committee and all three services chiefs up to 28
years of age;
(m) Director General and Directors of Immigration and Passports;
(n) Federal Joint Secretaries, Provincial Secretaries and Secretaries of
Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, Joint Secretaries of
Senate and National Assembly Secretariats, in BPS-20;
(o) Civil servants and armed forces personnel residing in Pakistan and
proceeding abroad on posting, secondment or on deputation with a
foreign Government, ECO, UNO, its affiliated Organizations, their
spouses and dependent children up to 28 years of age
accompanying or joining them. However, dependent daughters may
be allowed official passport irrespective of age limit. Dependent
parents may be issued official passports on payment of fee;
(p) Civil servants and armed forces personnel proceeding abroad on
official business, training, course, study tour or to attend seminar.
The validity of passport should be restricted to one year or to the
extent of the official business, if more than one year;
(q) Ex-Members of the Parliament who remained member of either
House of the Parliament for at least one term and their spouses;
(r) Former Governors of the Provinces, former Presidents of
Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and former Governors of Gilgit-Baltistan;
(s) Retired judges of Supreme Court of Pakistan, High Courts,
Supreme Court and High Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir,
Supreme Appellate Court of Gilgit-Baltistan and Gilgit-Baltistan
Chief Court and their spouses;
(t) Officers employed in BPS-20 and above on contractual
assignments, with the Federal or Provincial Governments, while
proceeding abroad on official business. The validity of passports
shall be restricted to the period of their contract;
(u) Officers of the Senate, National Assembly Secretariat, National
Accountability Bureau and Supreme Court of Pakistan in BPS-17
and above proceeding abroad on official visit. The validity of
passport shall be restricted to the duration of official visit:
a. Governor and Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan;
b. Members of Competition Commission of Pakistan;
c. Civil servants on deputation with autonomous or semi-autonomous
bodies or corporations proceeding abroad in connection with
official work of the borrowing body;
d. Spouses and dependent children up to 28 years of age of civil
servants (BPS-17 to 21) and armed forces officers in equivalent
rank proceeding abroad for official training or courses longer than
nine months. However, dependent daughters may also be allowed
official passports irrespective of age limit;
e. Heads of autonomous bodies or corporations, either permanent or
on contractual basis in BPS-20 and above proceeding abroad in
connection with the official work of that body;
f. Pakistan Television Corporation and Pakistan Broadcasting
Corporation going abroad for covering President‟s or Prime
Minister‟s foreign visits;
g. Employees of NADRA Posted at Pakistan Mission abroad;
(1) Grant of diplomatic passports shall strictly be confined to the
following persons:—
(a) President of Pakistan;
(b) Prime Minister of Pakistan;
(c) Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan;
(d) Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan;
(e) Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan;
(f) Governors of the Provinces;
(g) Chief Ministers of the Provinces;
(h) Ministers of the Government of Pakistan;
(i) Attorney General for Pakistan;
(j) Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee;
(k) Chief of Army Staff;
(l) Chief of Naval Staff;
(m) Chief of Air Staff;
(n) Ex-Presidents of Pakistan;
(o) Ex-Prime Ministers of Pakistan;
(p) Ministers of State to the Government of Pakistan;
(q) Ex-Chairmen of the Senate of Pakistan and Ex-Speakers of the
National Assembly of Pakistan;
(r) Special Assistants to the Prime Minister;
(s) All functionaries of the Federal Government with the status of
Federal Minister or Minister of State;
(t) Chairman, Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission;
(u) (i) Officers in BPS-17 and above of Pakistan Foreign Service for
the duration of their membership of the Foreign Service of
Pakistan;
(ii) All other officers in BPS-17 and above, including officers of
armed forces having equivalent ranks proceeding abroad on
diplomatic assignments and having diplomatic status for the
duration of their posting or other short term assignments
abroad.
—Spouses of diplomatic passport holders shall be entitled for diplomatic passport. He or she will hold a diplomatic passport as long as his or her spouse retains the prescribed office.
Source: Schedule-III of Passport Rules 2021, MINISTRY OF INTERIOR
Be First to Comment