KARACHI, March 4: Pakistan has taken a various measures to check human smuggling, and in this regard a database of recruiting agents is being prepared at the FIA, said Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider here on Monday.

He was talking to senior editors and journalists in the State Guest House.

He pointed out that Pakistan was one of those few countries from where migration originated, migrants came into and lived here as well as migrants coming here in transit.

This has affected the value of our green passport which is now so closely watched and examined outside.

As regard immigrants, he pointed out that the National Alien Registration Authority had started their registration. He said after their registration, they would be issued work permits. He informed that a database on the registered immigrants would be ready in the next few months.

He said those agents who were sending people illegally outside were criminals, so a database of recruiting agents was being developed at the FIA.

Mr Haider told the editors that the project for the production of electronically-produced passports had been approved by ECNEC and the Planning Division and tenders were in the process of being floated. He said the issuance of new passports would start by year-end.

Besides, he said, a record of immigrants coming into and going out of the country was also being maintained through computers having one terminal at the office of the Director Immigration and one each at passport office and Nara office.

He said this system had been working in Karachi for the past 2-3 months and equipment would also be installed in Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta and Lahore by next year.

Interior Minister said the government plans to set up motor vehicle registration authorities as part of steps being taken to check theft of vehicles.

There will be one national authority and four provincial authorities, he said adding that these authorities would help trace inter-provincial movement of vehicles.

He said a database of vehicles being imported as well as those coming out of manufacturing units in Pakistan was also being prepared.

Pearl case: Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider has said investigation agencies are on the lookout for four accused who were involved in the kidnapping of US journalist Daniel Pearl and keeping him at a secret place.

Replying to a question, the minister said clue to the body of the slained journalist would be available only when these four persons were apprehended.

A questioner was told that it was not an easy decision to ban extremist parties involved in promoting sectarian violence and for this he had to pay with the life of his brother.

Speaking about police reforms, Mr Haider said to bring about change in the police culture was a difficult task. The people might not be able to see the kind of change coming in the police culture, but it had begun occurring, he added.

He said police force restructuring had been completed in the provinces, except Balochistan where it was in the final stage.

He said the provinces would soon get their allocation of Rs1.4 billion to be used for the Investigation Police for purchase of transport and stationery.

He said work was also going on a Forensic Plan which would be financially assisted by many countries. He said talks for the implementation of this plan were being held with Japan as well.

Under the plan, the country would have five forensic laboratories — one at the national and four at the provincial levels — which would help carry out investigation of cases on scientific lines.— APP