WASHINGTON, Jan 5: Pakistanis living in the United States, who have criticised new anti-terror laws as discriminatory, on Monday welcomed a new system of fingerprinting and photographing some foreigners arriving at US airports.

The scheme, covering visitors who need visas to enter the US will, according to the authorities, ensure that US borders remain "open to visitors but closed to terrorists."

Faiz Rehman, president of the National Council of Pakistani Americans said the system was fairer than other laws which have required Pakistanis and nationals of selected other nations living in the US to register with the authorities.

"The new fingerprint programme is less discriminatory which does not just target Muslim visitors. It is clearly not anti-immigrants," he said. But Mr Rehman said his Washington-based civil rights and education group was concerned that some visitors would be deterred from travelling to the US, fearing delays brought on by stepped-up security."We hope the new programme will be as visitor-friendly as it is promised to be," he said.-AFP