ISLAMABAD: The Upper House of the Parliament, Thursday, passed three government bills, including the Pakistan Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which provides that the individuals born to either of the Pakistani citizen parents (father or mother), be treated as Pakistani citizens, irrespective of their date of birth - in compliance with the orders of two high courts.
State Minister Talal Chaudhry presented the bill in the Senate session, chaired by Presiding Officer Waqar Mehdi, in the absence of chairman and deputy chairman Senate.
The Statement of Objects and Reasons of this bill reads that the passport applications have been deferred because the “father of the applicant(s) was foreign national and the applicants were born” before 18.4.2000, as the Section 5 of Pakistan Citizenship Act, 1951 stood invoked through an ordinance in the year 2000.
It transpired that these applicants have already obtained CNICs (Computerised National Identity Cards) from NADRA (National Database and Registration Authority), reads the Statement of Objects and Reasons.
“NADRA was requested to offer their comments as to how these CNICs were issued to applicants who were born prior to 18.4.2000—NADRA reported that CNICs are issued to such applicants after the judgments passed by the honourable Peshawar and Singh High Courts; that amendment in Section 5 of PCA, 1951 should have retrospective effect. Therefore, individuals born to Pakistani parents (father or mother) be treated as Pakistani citizens irrespective of their date of birth,” the statement adds.
In accordance with this bill, the substitution of the word ‘parent’ for the word ‘father’ in the Pakistan Citizenship (Amendment) Ordinance, 2000 “shall always be deemed to have been so done on and from the commencement of this Act.”
Furthermore, the Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service) (Amendment) Bill, 2026 and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2026 were the other two government bills passed by the House, presented by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry.
The Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service) (Amendment) Bill, 2026 provides for replacing the word “federal government” with the appropriate authorities in the Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service) Act, 1973. This law governs the functioning of Implementation Tribunal for Newspaper Employees (ITNE), working under the administrative control of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, responsible for implementing the wage board awards for newspapers employees.
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2026 provides for amending the word federal government with appropriate authorities in the PEMRA Ordinance, 2002. This law governs the functioning of PEMRA that is responsible for regulation of electronic/broadcast media in the country.
The Senate was adjourned till today (Friday).
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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