MPAs and Their Spouses in KP to Get Lifetime Official Passports Under New Law

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has enacted a new law significantly expanding the powers, privileges, and immunities of members of the provincial assembly, including granting official passports to MPAs and their spouses.

The KP Provincial Assembly (Powers, Immunities and Privileges) Act, 2026 was passed by the provincial assembly on April 30 and received the assent of Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on May 6. However, the legislation has not yet been uploaded to the KP Assembly’s official website.

Under the new law, MPAs and their spouses will be entitled to official passports, subject to applicable federal laws. Members will also be allowed to use VIP lounges at airports across Pakistan, while spouses will receive assembly identity cards recognized by law enforcement agencies.

The legislation also grants MPAs blanket immunity from preventive detention, replacing the previous law, which limited such protection to specific periods before and after assembly sessions or committee meetings.

In addition, authorities will now be required to obtain the speaker’s prior permission before arresting an MPA on a criminal charge or detaining them under an executive order.

The law further entitles MPAs to Category B security during their tenure, with the option of upgrading to Category A security if a credible threat is identified. Members provided with security personnel will be allowed to retain that protection throughout Pakistan, including Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The new legislation also increases the number of weapon licences available to MPAs from four to eight, including four free licences and four issued on payment of the prescribed fee.

Other new privileges include club memberships on the same terms as government officers and the use of personally owned vehicles with tinted windows. Additionally, the legislation increases the penalties, including fines and imprisonment, for offences committed under the Act.