| Submit your comments on this article |
| India-Pakistan |
| 9600 Pakistanis 'missing' after visa expiry |
| 2008-10-22 |
| NEW DELHI: The number of Pakistani nationals who did not return after coming to India using valid travel documents has increased by nearly 30% in 2008 — the year when the level of infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir has dropped substantially. Is this a mere coincidence or is there some design in it? The question is haunting the minds of security agencies which have found that as many as 9,636 Pakistani nationals did not return to their country after expiry of their visas this year as compared to 7,404 in 2007. Though all those who went missing may not be terrorists or criminals, the substantial increase in the number this year has made the security agencies sit up. While 7,404 Pakistanis did not return after expiry of their visas in 2007, the figure was 7,650 in 2006 and 7,043 in 2005. The figures — disclosed in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday — clearly show the marginal increase or decrease in the number of missing Pakistanis during 2005-07 as compared to what was recorded (9,636) till July this year. Sources in the home ministry said that though some of them had been deported after verification as they recorded their presence with the concerned Foreigners Regional Registration Offices (FRROs), it had been quite difficult to trace each one of them who disappeared after arrival. Without ruling out the possibility of Pakistani intelligence agency ISI taking the legal route (using proper visa) to sneak in terrorists into India, a senior home ministry official said: “It is suspected particularly when the number of infiltration has come down substantially this year. The ISI can do it to beat its failure on the infiltration front.” He said: "The authorities in Pakistan can adopt any means to infiltrate militants when a number of infiltration bids have been foiled this year by the Army and BSF. The role of the Pakistani Army and Pakistan Rangers in helping infiltrators through cover fire is not a secret." As against 419 infiltrators during April-September 2007, there have been only 243 infiltrators during the same period this year with the Army establishing a strong "multi-tier counter infiltration grid". |
| Posted by:john frum |
| #5 9600? Since 9-11 I've wondered what the number was for the U.S.. Among so many underreported and unfollowed stories in the aftermath of 9-11 were the total deaths from irrational Americans lashing out mindlessly (I recall the one poor Sikh, from Arizona, IIRC), and the flight of Pakistanis, mostly men often leaving women and kids behind, leaving the country fleeing to Canada - was it hundreds or thousands? Meanwhile, how many where here legally, with visas which could be tracked, etc.. I'm sure President Obama and the new congress will launch investigations asap to correct prior oversights! |
| Posted by: Don Vito Omeling5062 2008-10-22 22:31 |
| #4 Pakistan: India's Mexico. Nope. That would be Bangladesh. There are almost ten million illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in India. The Congress party and the Communist Party of India use them as a convenient (illegal) vote bank, issuing them identity documents and registering them to vote. |
| Posted by: john frum 2008-10-22 15:15 |
| #3 don't worry India they all came here too run 7?11's |
| Posted by: chris 2008-10-22 12:45 |
| #2 Pakistan: India's Mexico. |
| Posted by: ed 2008-10-22 09:18 |
| #1 [Paul has been pooplisted.] |
| Posted by: Paul 2008-10-22 07:21 |