Seizure of blue passports abroad: Ministry yet to issue directive to FIA

The Ministry of Interior has directed Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to confiscate blue passports from all those who are not entitled to the facility but it is yet to make any arrangement for those who have already left the country. A senior FIA official on condition of anonymity told Business Recorder that the passport and immigration wing of the agency has been directed to confiscate the blue passports at airports across the country.
However, he said the Ministry of Interior has not yet issued any directive to Interpol wing of FIA to approach those countries with which Pakistan has 'abolition agreement', for cancellation of blue passports, issued by the previous government to people who were not entitled to this facility.
He said over 2,000 blue passports were issued in violation of rules during the past five-year Pakistan People's Party (PPP)-led coalition government, including to those allegedly involved in various corruption cases. "Majority of these people, have gone to those countries with which Pakistan has abolition agreement to avoid arrests", he said.
Source said that Pakistan has abolition agreement with 39 different countries. Under the agreement, people who have blue passports can enter these countries and stay there for 90 days without any visa, he said. He said that FIA has so far confiscated 78 blue passports at different airports including passports of 14 former ministers and bureaucrats. The officials have also confiscated blue passports from former Federal Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh at Karachi airport, he said.
The Immigration and Passport (I&P) directorate had sent a request to the Ministry of Interior a few months ago for cancellation of over 2,000 blue passports issued to those not entitled to it. Following the request of I&P directorate, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on October 5 issued directives for cancellation of more than 2,000 blue passports issued in violation of rules during a meeting. He categorically stated that blue passports will be issued to only entitled persons and there would be no relaxation of rules in this regard.