PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly has unanimously approved changes to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Members’ Privileges and Salaries Act 2026, scrapping the provision that allowed lawmakers to keep blue passports for life.
The amended legislation was passed during a session chaired by Deputy Speaker Suraya Bibi, introducing revisions to the privileges and benefits available to provincial lawmakers.
Under the new amendments, official blue passports will now be valid only during a member’s tenure in the provincial assembly and will no longer be retained permanently after the completion of their term.
The assembly also restored the limit of free arms licences for lawmakers to four per member and approved reductions in fines and penalties related to journalists. Changes were also made to certain disputed clauses in the First Schedule of the Act.
In another development, the KP Assembly unanimously passed a resolution opposing a proposal to merge Haripur and Abbottabad into the federal capital territory.
Provincial Minister Akbar Ayub, who moved the resolution, said both districts were an inseparable part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and stressed that the province has constitutional rights over its land, political representation and natural resources.
Following approval of the amendments, the KP Assembly adjourned its session until August 10.
