Islamabad: Pakistan’s Minister for Information and Broadcasting has revealed that in the past blue passports have been issued to girlfriends, friends and property dealers.
Pervaiz Rashid exposed the report during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior which was chaired by Senator Talha Mehmood. It was revealed in the meeting that in past 902 passports were issued to foreigners. Those people have now blacklisted. The committee has summoned a list of individuals holding blue passports within a week.
It was also revealed that Peshawar High Court had declared 7726 people holding Pakistani passports as foreigners. These people were also black listed.
Senate Standing Committee on Interior has sought details of blue passport holders and new passport offices opened during the previous government’s tenure.
Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid demanded cancellation of all blue passports issued on political basis and closing down of unnecessary passport offices opened on political basis during the last government’s tenure.