14 January 2005	Friday	03 Zilhaj 1425

ISLAMABAD, Jan 13: The government on Thursday announced a new visa policy for foreign students willing to study in country's educational institutions and seminaries. The visa rules for pilgrims have also been modified.

The new visa policy was announced by Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao at a Press conference here on Thursday. He said the new visa rules would come into force within next 15 to 20 days.

The minister said entry visas to foreign students would be granted after getting clearance from all departments/agencies of Pakistan concerned and NOCs from home departments of students' respective countries.

He said Indian passport holders working in the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the International Monetary Fund, UN agencies and multinational companies would be given visas by respective Pakistan's ambassadors after getting clearance from link officers.

The minister said Pakistani missions had been told to send monthly details of visas issued to foreigners on prescribed proforma to the ministry of interior to develop a central database of foreigners' entry and exit to keep the record updated.

This database, he said, would be integrated with Automated Foreigners' Registration System (AFRS)and security agencies for proper vigilance and monitoring of all incoming and outgoing foreigners.

He said the Personal Identification Secure Comparison and Evaluation System (Pisces) introduced in the country a couple of years ago, would help register all foreigners through the AFRS on arrival and their copies would be provided to the ministry of interior and District Police Officer of the destination district on daily basis.

"This will help create a centralized database of all foreigners. This system would be gradually integrated with all stakeholders to share the database for proper monitoring of entry and exit of all foreigners," the minister said.

Referring to pilgrimage, Mr Sherpao said a considerable population of Sikhs in the world was very keen to visit their sacred places in the country such as Nankana Sahib (Sheikhupura), and Panja Sahib (Hasan Abdal). In order to attract more pilgrims, holders of foreign passports other than the Indian passports, would be granted entry visas by Pakistan missions.