Data of foreign students to be compiled

KARACHI: The high ups of the Sindh police have ordered the Sindh Special Branch (SB) to collect details of foreign students studying in educational institutions across the province, sources privy to the matter told Daily Times. The sources added that the SB received a letter stating that the foreign nationals/students studying at different colleges and universities in various jurisdictions should verify their antecedents, status of their stay as well as the validity of their passport, visa, permission and other details.

Authorities have given a limited time period to the officials concerned to conduct this inquiry. A major reason behind collecting the data was to examine the activities of foreign nationals staying in Pakistan. It was also learnt that extremist groups engaged in fighting the country’s security forces have planned to kidnap foreign nationals, especially those that hail from western and European countries, so that they can demand the release of their captured associates in exchange. The sources added that the kidnapping of Satesh Anand a Hindu business man, John Solecki, an American UN official kidnapped earlier this month in Quetta and Iranian envoy Hesmatollah Atharzadeh were probably done by the same extremists.