ISLAMABAD:Senator Abid Sher Ali on Monday questioned the requirement for Senators to obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Ministry of Interior to acquire passports, saying the matter involved parliamentarians’ privileges and the dignity of the Senate.
Speaking in the Senate, he said he had been a parliamentarian for 18 years and had also served in the National Assembly, but had never previously been asked to obtain an NOC for a passport.
He said parliamentarians were also being asked to obtain NOCs from the ministry for their children’s passports.
He urged the Senate chairman to take notice and protect members’ privileges.
Sher Ali said he had reservations about changes to passport validity and would move a privilege motion on the matter.