Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry on Tuesday defended the government’s policy of restricting the issuance of third and subsequent passports, saying the measure was aimed at curbing misuse of Pakistani travel documents and preventing illegal migration.
Briefing the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior, chaired by Raja Khurram Nawaz, Chaudhry said authorities had observed a growing number of cases involving repeated claims of lost passports within short periods.
“Identity has value across the world. A person’s passport is reported lost one day and then reported lost again within a month,” the minister told the committee.
He said authorities had also encountered cases in which individuals claimed to have lost their passports for a third time within six months, raising concerns about possible misuse.
Chaudhry said repeated loss of passports could have serious implications for Pakistan’s international image, noting that when individuals are detained, are involved in illegal activities, or face immigration violations abroad, their passports remain linked to Pakistan.
The minister said the government had effectively imposed strict restrictions on the issuance of additional passports after a person had already obtained multiple replacements.
“We issue passports to applicants seeking a third passport only after a rigorous process,” he said.
According to Chaudhry, applicants seeking another passport after repeated losses are subjected to detailed interviews during which officials examine the time interval between reported losses, travel patterns and the purpose of travel.
He said the scrutiny process often helps authorities determine whether there are genuine reasons for repeated passport losses.
The minister also told lawmakers that many individuals currently residing abroad were seeking replacement passports after reporting previous documents lost, prompting the government to strengthen verification procedures.
The briefing was part of the committee’s review of immigration and passport-related policies aimed at preventing document misuse and strengthening border management.
