During a National Assembly session chaired by Deputy Speaker Ghulam Mustafa Shah on Thursday, the government candidly acknowledged the poor global standing of the Pakistani passport, which currently ranks 103rd in the 2025 Global Passport Index.
Responding to a question during the session’s Question Hour, Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry remarked that enhancing the passport’s credibility requires more than cosmetic changes.
“The respect of the green passport won’t come through appearances, but by putting one’s own house in order,” he stated, recognizing deep-rooted internal issues affecting the passport’s international reputation.
In a written reply submitted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it was revealed that Pakistani passport holders currently enjoy visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to only 35 countries — a reflection of Pakistan’s limited global mobility. The reply also acknowledged that in previous years, Pakistani passports were illegally issued to non-citizens, especially Afghan nationals, severely undermining the document’s credibility.
Dr. Chaudhry further emphasized that Pakistan’s international image suffers when its own citizens engage in defaming the country abroad or support anti-Pakistan resolutions in foreign parliaments.
“When you try to malign your own country abroad, the world won’t respect your passport either,” he said, stressing the importance of national unity in enhancing Pakistan’s global image.
Interestingly, the minister claimed that the perception of the Pakistani passport had improved “overnight” between May 9 and May 10, following Pakistan’s resolute military response to Indian missile and air strikes.
To address these long-standing issues, the National Assembly was informed that the Ministry of Interior is in the process of establishing a new body — the Pakistan Immigration, Passport, and Visa Authority — aimed at strengthening passport security, preventing fraud, and streamlining immigration and visa services.
