HYDERABAD, July 22: More than 125 foreigners, mostly students, will face prosecution in courts for overstaying in the country without obtaining prior permission from the immigration department , police sources told this correspondent on Thursday.

They said the list of these foreigners was forwarded to police stations concerned for registration of cases against them under section 14 of the Foreigners Act 1946.

The foreigners belonged to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Palestine, Yemen, Syria, Jordan, Sudan, Sri Lanka and Somalia.

The sources said they were required to get themselves registered with the registration officer concerned who by virtue of his post was the district police officer.

According to the rules as soon as a foreigner land at the airport, he or she was required to fill Form-C which would contain details of visa and the date of departure from the country.

In case of overstay, they are supposed to approach the immigration department for visa extension.

Form-44 issued by the RO clearly states that in the event of any foreigner remained for a longer period unless granted permission by the central government, he or she is liable to prosecution for contravention of provisions of the Foreigners Order 1951 under the Foreigners Act 1946 with imprisonment of five years and fine.

Before leaving the country the foreigners are required to get permission from the RO concerned which would subsequently be submitted to the FIA immigration.

In case the immigrant intended to move to district other than of its registration then he or she has to inform the ROs of both districts.

For the last several years this practice remained unchecked for unknown reasons as none of the senior police officer was least bothered about it.

The sources said that lower level police officials, who were in fact supposed to accomplish this task, deliberately did not take interest for monetary considerations.

A police source said 136 cases of overstay had been found, who would be booked under the Foreigners Act 1946.

Some 175 cases of overstay have been detected and most of them are students studying in the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Sindh University and Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam. Of these 175, some 95 foreigners had already applied for visa extension.

The foreigners are also issued 'quit notice', requiring them to leave the country within seven days in the light of expiry of their visas or face prosecution.