Passports Act, 1974

This law regulates who can leave and enter Pakistan and requires citizens to hold a valid passport to do so. Section 3 prohibits any citizen from departing Pakistan without a passport, or from visiting a country for which their passport isn't valid.

Section 4 makes it a punishable offence, imprisonment which may extend to one year, or fine, or both, for anyone aged twelve or older to breach Section 3, or to enter Pakistan without a passport through an authorised port or route; such offences are non-bailable. Section 5 extends liability to anyone who helps a violator evade arrest, and to transport operators who knowingly let someone leave Pakistan illegally, whose vehicle or vessel can be forfeited.

Section 6 lists more serious passport-related offences: making false statements to get a passport, forging or tampering with a passport, using a forged passport, trafficking in passports, holding more than one passport by concealment, and failing to return a passport when ordered, punishable with imprisonment which may extend to three years, fine, or both. Trafficking in passports specifically carries a minimum of six months' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of not less than one thousand rupees.

Section 7 gives police and Customs officers power to arrest without warrant and seize means of transport used in illegal departures, requiring the arrested person to be produced before a magistrate within twenty-four hours. Section 8 lets the Federal Government cancel, impound, or confiscate a passport, generally after giving the holder a chance to be heard, though this notice can be skipped where the person is suspected of subversive activities or activity prejudicial to Pakistan's interests, subject to a right of review within thirty days.

Section 9 places the burden of proving statements in passport documents on the person making them. Section 14 clarifies this Act works alongside, not in place of, other laws like the Emigration Ordinance and foreign exchange laws.