ISLAMABAD, May 26: Pakistan on Thursday asked the United States to soften its student visa policy, saying that a large number of students were being deprived of the opportunity to study in American universities, sources in the ministry of education told Dawn.

The matter was discussed during a meeting between the US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Christina Rocca and Federal Education Minister Lt-Gen (retired) Javed Ashraf Qazi at the latter’s office.

After 9/11, the US State Department has formulated strict visa regime, especially for Muslim countries. Muslim students are the worst sufferers and presently only 25 per cent of Pakistani students who used to go to America for higher studies are getting visas. Mr Qazi expressing his serious concerns over the policy asked Ms Rocca to take up the issue with the quarters concerned.

The minister maintained that the US universities should be available to Pakistani students with relaxed visa restrictions. Ms Rocca acknowledged that after 9/11, the economy of the American universities had badly affected due to the decrease in the arrivals of international students, said the sources.

The minister also briefed the US official about the recently- constituted Madressah Board under his chairmanship for policy formulation on reforms of the religious seminaries. Federal ministers for religious affairs and interior are also members of the board.

The minister also apprised Ms Rocca of the controversy over the establishment of the Aga Khan University Examination Board. According to a statement issued by the ministry, Ms Rocca agreed that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) would assist the education ministry in establishing a management information system, which would help in collecting and maintaining a credible educational data and statistics.

Appreciating the educational policies of the government, she said Pakistan had been pursuing balanced and rational policies in the education sector and the US government would continue its material support for supplementing the efforts in making quality education accessible to all in Pakistan.

The minister suggested that the USAID instead of allocating small amounts to a large number of projects should undertake a programme to set up sustainable technical institutions which would benefit even the future generations.

Ms Rocca promised to consider the suggestion and convey it to relevant authorities. The meeting was attended by US Ambassador Ryan Crocker, Ms Patricia of the USAID and Secretary Education Sajid Hasan.