The government has decided to phase out Machine Readable Passports (MRPs) and replace them with electronic passports (e-passports), the interior ministry told the National Assembly. Responding to a question from MNA Malik Shakir Bashir Awan during the question-and-answer session on Friday, the ministry said MRP issuance would be discontinued within a month. After that, only e-passports would be issued by passport offices and Pakistan’s missions abroad.
Passports already issued as MRPs will remain valid until their expiry dates, the ministry said.
Minister says e-passport rollout could face delays
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, answering supplementary questions, said the government was working to replace the current passports with the new system, which is expected to be introduced within about a month. He said the shift reflected rapid technological change in global immigration systems. He also said the electronic chip in the new passports would make forgery impossible.
He cautioned that Pakistan’s large population and operational challenges at passport offices could cause some delay. He nonetheless reiterated the government’s commitment to launching the system as soon as possible. In reply to a question from Syed Tariq Hussain, he agreed that the existing machine-readable system needed an upgrade to meet changing global immigration requirements. He added that e-passport technology is used worldwide and that Pakistan was adopting it for the same reason.
Federal government issues over 13,000 arms licences
The federal government issued 13,922 prohibited- and non-prohibited-bore arms licences over three years, covering 2024, 2025 and 2026, according to figures submitted to the National Assembly by the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control. In a written reply to a question from MNA Naveed Aamir, Interior Minister Senator Mohsin Naqvi said the licences were issued under Rules 4 and 6 of the Pakistan Arms Rules, 2023.
Afghan tourist figures questioned in National Assembly
NA Deputy Speaker Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah questioned the ministry’s classification of Afghan nationals as Pakistan’s largest source of tourists. He expressed dissatisfaction with the figures presented by the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC). He observed that not everyone entering Pakistan from Afghanistan could be considered a tourist.
Pakistan Peoples Party MNA Dr Nafisa Shah said Afghanistan topped the ministry’s list of tourist-sending countries, followed by the United Kingdom. She asked why Pakistan was not making effective use of its historical heritage, particularly Harappa and Mohenjo-daro, to attract international visitors and earn much-needed foreign exchange.
Minister of State Awn Chaudhry assured the House that he would review the matter. He said petrol allowances and other perks would be aligned with the government’s austerity policy.
