Security worried as flights resume

MUMBAI: The Indo-Pak thaw may be the toast of the political season this winter but, with the resumption of the Mumbai-Karachi flights, troubles for the Indian security agencies have just begun. For two years, these agencies did not have to bother much about illegal entry or infiltration by anti-national elements from the neighbouring country, as flights between the two cities were suspended.
Pakistan International Airways’ bi-weekly flights were stopped on January 1, 2002, after India broke ties with Pakistan in the aftermath of the December 2001 terrorist attack on Parliament.
Now, the worry has returned. Pakistani nationals have to undergo special security measures just as Indians travelling to Pakistan do. The Indian security agencies follow a rigorous course of scrutiny for Pakistani passengers, in much the same way their counterparts in Pakistan do for Indian passengers.
On arrival in Mumbai, a Pakistani passenger is thoroughly screened at the immigration counter. In a separate visa application form, the person has to submit the names of places he plans to visit, along with the names of his local referee in each place. "A Pakistani is not granted a visa unless he has a local referee," says a source. A local referee is someone who stands guarantee for the visitor’s presence in this country.
Further precautions are taken to make sure a Pakistani does not lose his way. He is handed a residential permit form, on which he needs to get the stamp of the local foreign regional registration officer (FRRO) of the place or places he visits. An FRRO is the police superintendent of a district or a designated deputy commissioner of police in a city.
The FRRO also issues an exit permit, which is to be shown by the Pakistani passenger at the departure point. "The point of entry and exit are clearly mentioned on the visa form. He is not allowed to deviate from his statement," a source says. The visitor is not allowed to extend his stay unless it is approved by the Union ministry of home affairs. "Only in exceptional circumstances is a Pakistani permitted to overstay," says the source.