ISLAMABAD – Firdous Ashisq Awan, former information minister and PTI leader, was barred from travelling abroad at the Islamabad International Airport for allegedly misusing the official Pakistani passport.
The Immigration and Passport Department of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) offloaded the Sialkot-based political leader from flight as she was using the “blue passport”.
Reports said that Awan, who have served at various positions during PTI governments in Centre and Punjab, was not allowed to use the official travel document.
Breaking News
The Immigration and Passport Department of FIA has off loaded PTI leader and ex minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan from Canada bounded flight at Isb Airport for using official (blue) passport for which she was not allowed to use. pic.twitter.com/3A1hBE7l7w
— Sumaira Hadi (@SumairaHadi) August 20, 2022
A passport with blue as outer cover colour is issued to senators, members of the National Assembly, provincial ministers, judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and high courts, officers serving with the governments when abroad on official assignments, and other government officials.
The outer cover colour of the Diplomatic passport is red while ordinary passport is green.
Meanwhile, Awan has rejected the reports of her attempt to flee to Canada baseless.
Talking to private news channel, she said that a person, who has served as a lawmaker, is eligible to possess a blue passport as the National Assembly law allows it.
The PTI leader revealed that she was going to Dubai to attend Women Peace Cup event as a chief guest when she was barred from taking the flight.
“I got the Dubai visa by using official process and if there was any problem they would not have issued it to me,” Awan said.
She said that her passport has been confiscated by FIA.
