ISLAMABAD, Sept 13: Hong Kong’s Assistant Director for Enforcement and Litigation Eric K.K. Chan has said that Pakistan is on top of the countries whose citizens enter his country through illegal channels.

Talking to reporters at the Chinese embassy here on Thursday, he said his country might consider visa waiver for Pakistan and other South Asian countries if the number of asylum-seekers and illegal immigrants declined.

The number of asylum-seekers and refugees has been on the rise in Hong Kong, corresponding to the increase in arrivals.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, an average of 160 people a month claimed asylum in Hong Kong in the first half of 2006.

Mr Chan said since 2004 a lot of Pakistanis sought asylum in Hong Kong claiming to be the victims of torture, but almost all of them proved fake.

Answering a question, he said that every year around 10,000 Pakistanis visited Hong Kong legally, but he did not know the number of businessmen among them.

To a question, he said 215 Pakistanis entered Hong Kong via China through illegal channels in 2006 and this number stood at 363 in 2007.

Asked about his source of information, the official said that it was based on reports of the arrest of Pakistanis and their subsequent deportation.

He said he had visited India and planned to tour other countries whose citizens were violating immigration rules of Hong Kong. He said his country had a liberal policy facilitating visitors in getting visa easily.

Among around 300,000 immigrants living in Hong Kong 15,000 are Pakistanis.