ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Interior Affairs on Tuesday expressed serious concerns over travel restrictions faced by Pakistani parliamentarians and diplomats, particularly incidents of offloading at Dubai airports despite possession of official blue passports.

Lawmakers raised specific cases where parliamentarians and their families encountered inconsistent treatment during immigration checks in the UAE.

Officials from the Interior Ministry and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) briefed the committee on the prevailing challenges and ongoing diplomatic efforts to address them.

Additional Secretary Interior Salman Chaudhry and other senior officials informed the panel that coordination with foreign ministries remains active through formal channels.

The committee urged the government to take up the matter formally with UAE authorities to ensure smooth facilitation for official travel.

Such cases have contributed to heightened scrutiny of blue passport holders, even those travelling on legitimate parliamentary or official business.

Blue passports, officially known as service or official passports, are issued to government officials, parliamentarians, judges, and senior bureaucrats. They typically enjoy visa exemptions or facilitated entry under bilateral agreements.

Pakistan and the UAE maintain a visa exemption arrangement for diplomatic and official passport holders, allowing stays of up to three months for diplomatic passports and one month for official ones in certain cases.

Despite this, recent reports indicate practical difficulties in boarding flights and clearing immigration, including for senior lawmakers.

The broader context involves UAE authorities tightening entry for ordinary Pakistani green passport holders. Interior Ministry briefings to Senate panels earlier indicated that new visas for regular passports have been largely halted, with approvals limited primarily to blue and diplomatic categories.

UAE concerns centre on reported increases in overstays, illegal employment, begging networks, and other criminal activities linked to some visitors. Pakistani officials have acknowledged these issues while emphasising the need to protect legitimate travellers.

According to earlier Senate briefings, rejection rates for ordinary Pakistani passport applications remain exceptionally high, often exceeding 80 percent for first-time applicants in certain categories.

This has affected not only tourism and family visits but also the flow of workers to the Gulf, a critical source of remittances. Pakistan received over $8 billion in remittances from the UAE in recent years, supporting millions of households.

The Tuesday meeting also touched on domestic passport management. The government has issued around 60,000 blue passports, with lawmakers stressing the need for stricter controls to prevent misuse.

In May 2026, the Senate panel approved a bill extending blue passport facilities to sitting and retired senators while calling for action against violations, including cases of asylum-seeking after misuse abroad.

Lawmakers questioned whether any informal understandings with foreign immigration authorities were in place that might lead to such inconsistencies. Officials clarified that all responses follow formal diplomatic protocols.

The Interior Ministry assured the committee that diplomatic channels would be utilised vigorously to resolve facilitation issues for parliamentary travel.

This development comes amid ongoing Pakistan-UAE engagements on multiple fronts, including trade, investment, and security cooperation. The UAE remains a major destination for Pakistani professionals and a key economic partner.

Committee members highlighted the diplomatic embarrassment and operational difficulties caused by offloading of official passport holders at airports.

They called for enhanced verification mechanisms at Pakistani airports and better coordination with destination countries to filter out fraudulent cases without disrupting genuine official travel.

FIA has intensified actions against passport misuse, including penalties for immigration officials and stricter pre-departure checks. In 2025, over 85 immigration officials faced action for related violations.

The committee emphasised balancing security concerns with the need to maintain ease of travel for state officials who frequently undertake international assignments.

Analysts note that sustained restrictions could impact Pakistan’s soft diplomacy and parliamentary engagements in the Gulf region. Regular high-level visits and delegations form an important part of bilateral relations.

The Interior Ministry is expected to provide further updates in subsequent briefings as diplomatic communications progress.

Future handling of these issues will likely involve closer inter-ministerial coordination between Interior, Foreign Affairs, and Overseas Pakistanis divisions to streamline processes and address root causes of foreign concerns.

How effectively these travel facilitation matters are resolved may influence broader people-to-people and economic ties with key Gulf partners in the coming months.