Islamabad: The National Assembly was informed on Friday that the government will cease issuing Machine Readable Passports within the next month, transitioning exclusively to electronic passports, also known as e-passports. Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Tariq Fazal Chaudhary, announced during the Question Hour that following the discontinuation, only e-passports will be issued by Passport Offices and Pakistan Missions abroad.

According to Radio Pakistan, the existing Machine Readable Passports will remain valid until their expiration dates. Chaudhary highlighted that the e-passports include advanced security features, such as an embedded electronic chip that contains biometric and personal data, enhancing identity verification and safeguarding against forgery and fraudulent use.

In related discussions, Minister of State for Overseas Pakistanis, Mohammad Awn Saqlain, noted measures taken to curb illegal immigration and mentioned signed Memorandums of Understanding with countries, including Italy, to promote legal pathways for Pakistani workers. Meanwhile, Parliamentary Secretary for Inter-Provincial Coordination, Kiran Imran Dar, reported that 4.473 million international tourists visited Pakistan over the past two years, with efforts underway to bolster tourism infrastructure and services.

Danyal Chaudhary, Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Broadcasting, expressed optimism that the Pakistan Television Corporation’s business plan will receive board approval soon, underscoring the role of state media in promoting the national narrative. Additionally, two bills were presented to the House: the National Book Foundation Amendment Bill, 2026, and the Pakistan Climate Change Amendment Bill, 2026. The House is scheduled to reconvene on Monday at 5 p.m.