Interior Ministry Opposes Govt’s Plan for New Passport and Immigration Authority

The federal government has received a proposal to establish the Pakistan Immigration, Passport, and Visa Authority (PIPVA). The Ministry of Interior has strongly opposed the proposal and called for all management of international borders, immigration, and related databases should remain under the control of federal law enforcement agencies like the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Documents seen by ProPakistani reveal that the proposed “Pakistan Immigration Passport and Visa Authority” Ordinance/Act 2024 outlines extensive powers for the PIPVA board, including issuing digital immigration documents, e-visas, machine-readable passports, and Pakistani citizenship certificates. The authority would oversee all immigration, passport, and visa operations at every entry and exit point across Pakistan.

Proposed powers of PIPVA include:

• Digital Services: The authority will have the power to issue digital immigration, e-visas, American travel documents, and machine-readable passports. It will also manage the issuance of Pakistani citizenship certificates.
• Comprehensive Border Management: The authority will oversee passport, visa, and immigration services at all entry and exit points. It will have the power to create systems related to National Border Management, the Exit Control List (ECL), the Passport Control List, and the Foreign Control List (FCL).
• E-Gates Implementation: To enhance security and efficiency, the authority will facilitate the installation of e-gates at airports, land borders, and seaports.
• Data Warehousing: There are plans to establish a data warehouse for immigration, passport, and visa information.
• Citizenship Management: Under the Pakistan Citizenship Act 1951 and Pakistan Citizenship Rules 1952, the authority will be empowered to issue citizenship certificates.
• Recruitment and Management: The authority will have the power to recruit Regional Passport Officers and Immigration Officers as needed. The Director General of the authority will be restricted from engaging in any other business or employment during their tenure.

The ordinance has raised big concerns from various quarters, particularly on national security and the amalgamation of critical functions. Commenting on the ordinance, the Ministry of Interior warned that integrating tasks such as border management, passport issuance, and immigration control under one autonomous body could lead to serious legal and security implications.

The ministry further discussed other issues such as sensitive data breaches, especially if private sector directors are included in the PIPVA board. It didn’t encourage the idea of giving the board total autonomy to manage the Exit Control List (ECL) and immigration procedures, which would normally fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

The Interior Ministry said FIA has trained personnel who are uniquely equipped to handle such tasks, especially in detecting fraudulent travel documents and managing the Integrated Border Management System (IBMS).

The ministry warned that if the PIPVA ordinance is passed, it could jeopardize Pakistan’s international standing in areas like human trafficking prevention, where their work is closely monitored by international bodies such as the US government and the United Nations.

The authority’s establishment could undermine the existing “One Roof” border management concept, which integrates various agencies under the FIA’s leadership to combat human smuggling and trafficking effectively, the ministry said.

The Interior Ministry has recommended that the management of international borders, immigration, and related databases should remain under the control of federal law enforcement agencies like FIA to ensure national security and maintain the integrity of sensitive operations.