The Hindu : Immigration: Pak. seeks U.S. exemption

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jan 11, 2003

International

International

Immigration: Pak. seeks U.S. exemption

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD JAN. 10. For the third time in less than a fortnight, Pakistan has taken up with the United States the issue of registration of Pakistanis under the new immigrant laws and pleaded that Pakistanis be exempted from the new law keeping in view its status as a `frontline ally' in the fight against terrorism.

The Pakistani Foreign Minister, Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, expressed the view when the U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell, telephoned him to discuss a whole range of Pak-U.S. relations in the context of his forthcoming visit to Washington. Mr. Kasuri is expected to be in the U.S. in the last week of January and there is little doubt that it would be a laden agenda.

The Pervez Musharraf-Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali government has been at its wits end over the extension of the new registration procedure. Furore in Pakistan and tales of harassment of the Pakistanis at the hands the U.S. immigration authorities has become a potent weapon for the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), alliance of religious parties, to intensify its campaign to evict American `forces' from bases in Pakistan.

It was no surprise that Mr. Kasuri complained to Mr. Powell that the new law was causing a lot of despondency and concern, not only amongst Pakistanis living in the U.S. but also in Pakistan. To buttress his point on how peace loving Pakistanis are, Mr. Kasuri informed the U. S. Secretary of State that not a single Pakistani was involved in the September 11 incident.

The Minister sought to impress Mr. Powell that Pakistanis in the U.S. are by and large economic migrants and have no inclination for any disorderly behaviour and should not be a source of concern for the security agencies. Mr. Powell promised to speak with the Attorney- General on some of the issues raised by Mr. Kasuri.

On January 3, the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, had called on the U. S. President, George W. Bush, seeking deletion of Pakistan from the list of National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS).

The U. S. move has triggered critical comments in the Pakistani civil society and the press. There have been a number of commentaries in the media mocking at the claims of the Government that Pakistan is a `frontline' state of the U.S. led coalition in the so called war against terrorism.

There is a growing view within the country that the day is not far off when Pakistan itself would become the target of the U.S. once its objectives in Afghanistan are achieved.

The latest decision by the Bush Administration has come handy to all those who had questioned the wisdom of backing the U.S. when it declared war against Afghanistan in October last year.

According to estimates up to one lakh Pakistanis are likely to be affected by the new U.S. drive.

About 70 to 80 per cent of the Pakistanis whose future here is now in jeopardy are those who are over-staying or illegal entrants and who failed to take advantage of, or were too late for the amnesty offered by the Clinton administration.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

Stories in this Section

'No chance for accidental n-war with India'

'Intention not to produce weapons'

Russia, Japan tell Pyongyang to reverse decision

U.S. belligerence towards Iraq annoys Europe

Immigration: Pak. seeks U.S. exemption

Sale opposed

Pak. assails passport suspension move

'Nocturnals' disoriented