US seeks access to passengers, airports in Pakistan

[tallboy123]

Rezaul H Laskar
Islamabad, Jan 3 (PTI) The US has sought access to records of all passengers flying out from Pakistan and permission to deploy American security officials at airports as part of an effort to prevent terror suspects reaching its soil, according to a media report today.

The proposed plan includes the deployment of US Homeland Security officials at Pakistan''s airports to enhance scrutiny for passengers travelling to America, a senior Foreign Office official was quoted as saying by The Express Tribune newspaper.

The official said the US has been pushing Pakistan for months to give it access to the Passenger Name Record database, a record of passengers used by airlines and travel agencies.

"Initially, they had asked for the record of all the passengers travelling outside Pakistan...We resisted that idea and now they are asking for the record of passengers who travel to the US from Pakistan," the unnamed official said.

The US is also pushing the government to let its Homeland Security officials be deployed at Pakistan''s airports to stop suspects travelling to the US, the official said.

Washington believes this step will ensure Pakistani passengers have a "trouble-free" journey.

Pakistan is among a number of countries whose nationals have to undergo rigorous security checks at US airports.

"The US government thinks allowing its officials to be deployed at Pakistan�s airports will stop this type of mistreatment,� said another official who was privy to discussions on the subject between the two countries.

"But we believe this idea is highly intrusive," the official said.

If the proposal is accepted, it could compromise the privacy of individuals and jeopardize Pakistan''s national security, the second official said.

Pakistan and the US have been cooperating to eliminate terror threats emanating from the region but there are "red lines" which Islamabad cannot think of crossing, the official said.


US seeks access to passengers, airports in Pakistan -  International News ? News ? MSN India

 

[BATMAN]

That will lead to new wave of target killing of over seas Pakistanis.
As usual TTP will take the responsibility.

I'm sure, past ambassador of US would not have gone through the pain of demanding. She may have already secured such information by spending few thousand US dollars or maximum a US nationality to any minister's son.

 

[ajtr]

I think this has been done in pakistan after 9/11 since 2002.Its just that news is coming out after 8 yrs.

NSEERS - NATIONAL SECURITY ENTRY-EXIT REGISTRATION SYSTEM

Special Registration Procedures

The United States set up a program known as the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS) after September 11, 2002, for the protection of those residing in the United States. NSEERS is targeted specifically toward foreign nationals born in specific countries on or before November 15, 1986. Men and women from the following countries must register with NSEERS:

Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Egypt, Eritrea, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

NSEERS is a way to keep track of certain people from one of these countries who would like to enter or leave the United States. There are more than 35 million immigrants registered in this system and they are required to register with immigration authorities at a port of entry or at the ICE office.

A foreign national who has to go through this procedure, must notify the authorities of any address changes, changes in employment and changes in schools attended. The notification has to be done within 10 days from the date the change takes place and after the foreign national has been in the United States for 30 days or more. Students can make their notification of address changes through Student and Exchange Visitor Information System.

It is possible that foreign nationals who have to register with NSEERS would have to show proof of their registration with NSEERS if they want to file a petition or application with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). If that person is unable to provide proof of registration, he or she would then be sent by the USCIS to an ICE office for an NSEERS interview to find out what can be done at that point.

Those who are in the United States on a nonimmigrant visa and who fail to register regularly or meet the requirements of NSEERS during their stay in the U.S. will be considered out of status. They are then subject to being arrested, being held in detention, given fines and/or being removed from the United States. This could also affect any future rights this person would have for coming to the United States. These decisions, however, are made on an individual basis and depend on the circumstances of that person’s particular case.

United States citizens and lawful permanent residents, refugees, certain asylum applicants, those who have been granted asylum, diplomats and those who have been admitted into the U.S. with “A” or “G” visas are exempt from registering under NSEERS.

The good news for those who have to register with NSEERS, but have not gone through the process correctly, is that they are able to request a waiver for all or parts of the special registration requirements as long as this is done within one year. The request has to be made in letter form, and needs to be sent to the Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The CBP will give rulings only for requests that include relief from arrival or departure registrations. The request letter, which is sent to the director of the port of entry where the foreign national will be applying for entry, needs to be accompanied by a detailed description of the relief being requested, the name of the applicant, date of birth, a Fingerprint Identification Number and one passport style photograph. Along with all of these, any documents that support the person’s application should be included.

It is important to note that if the waiver is not approved in writing prior to the interview or the person’s departure date, the person needs to appear for the interview or report to the port of departure office.

In addition, if someone wishes not to go through the registration procedures on a regular basis, that person needs to provide a written explanation for why he or she should be excluded from the special registration procedures. The request needs to be sent to the INS district office in the area where that person is living. While that person is waiting for a response, all the special registration procedures need to be followed until the INS notifies the person in writing that the request has been approved.




http://www.uslaw.com/bulletin/nseers-national-security-entry-exit-registration-system.php?p=50

For more information about immigration news, immigration laws, immigration policies, proposed immigration laws, border enforcement, green cards, citizenship, employment visas, family visas, naturalization, and other immigration subjects, please visit Immigration Law Answers and DFW Immigration Law Blog.

 

[illuzioN]

This is only temporary

 

[Jackdaws]

There really seems no semblance of independent foreign and domestic policy left in Pakistan - no wonder the people hate the Govt.

 

[illuzioN]

There really seems no semblance of independent foreign and domestic policy left in Pakistan - no wonder the people hate the Govt.

Cant blame the people, but you also cant blame the Government


Im sure things will be ok once we pull out, but these terrorist must be handled with which is something the Government is having trouble with.

I hope we will improve our Relations with PAK for INDIAs sake aswell soon...


We need India to focus on China lol

 

[Jackdaws]

Cant blame the people, but you also cant blame the Government


Im sure things will be ok once we pull out, but these terrorist must be handled with which is something the Government is having trouble with.

I hope we will improve our Relations with PAK and INDIA aswell soon...

It was merely a comment independent of America's interests - perhaps I should have been more careful so as not to be offensive to Pakistani posters either. What I meant was if any govt. in part of the world caves in to such a demand, the people will be pretty damn annoyed and opposition will have a field day. No wonder the Pakistani govt. is so unpopular.

 

[Jackdaws]

Cant blame the people, but you also cant blame the Government


Im sure things will be ok once we pull out, but these terrorist must be handled with which is something the Government is having trouble with.

I hope we will improve our Relations with PAK for INDIAs sake aswell soon...


We need India to focus on China lol

And the only ones who think that things will be rosy once the Yanks pull out are the Yanks. Pulling out is a domestic political compulsion, so no President can afford to keep losing soldiers. But it will create more problems than solve.

 

[TechLahore]

There really seems no semblance of independent foreign and domestic policy left in Pakistan - no wonder the people hate the Govt.

I wonder why you say that in response to this news... are you not aware that the US has such arrangements with numerous friendly countries. In particular, the UAE has implemented special secondary checks for flights going to the US. The UK has been doing this for a long time now... they even conduct a special pre-boarding interview before your plane takes off for the US. This applies both to direct and transit passengers. There are mobile kiosks run by homeland security personnel that are brought in to validate records and obtain info for all passengers on US bound flights.

The US has, since 9/11, also made numerous other changes. By the way, Air India also provides passenger data to the US while the US-bound passengers are still in India.

AirIndia - Secure flight Data for passengers travelling to and from US

In fact the document above, from the Air India website states that:

Every passenger must receive clearance from TSA before boarding the flight.

If your rhetoric is to be bought into, it would seem that India has "no semblance of independent foreign and domestic policy left" because it is complying with these requirements.

Here is the TSA's official statement on the Abul Kalam frisking:

TSA: TSA Statement on Security Screening of Former President of India

Basically, too bad, we're going to continue doing it and we won't take into account Indian VIP lists. After this, there was the incident involving the frisking of the Indian Ambassador. Has the US changed its policy? Or has India decided to stop sending VIPs to the US? Or has India just bitten its lip and complied with the TSA?

 

[naumananjum]

The Visa policy for USA is already very strict
.
they can check them psyclogically up to their satisfaction at the time of issuing them visa

 

[Jackdaws]

I wonder why you say that in response to this news... are you not aware that the US has such arrangements with numerous friendly countries. In particular, the UAE has implemented special secondary checks for flights going to the US. The UK has been doing this for a long time now... they even conduct a special pre-boarding interview before your plane takes off for the US. This applies both to direct and transit passengers. There are mobile kiosks run by homeland security personnel that are brought in to validate records and obtain info for all passengers on US bound flights.

The US has, since 9/11, also made numerous other changes. By the way, Air India also provides passenger data to the US while the US-bound passengers are still in India.

AirIndia - Secure flight Data for passengers travelling to and from US

In fact the document above, from the Air India website states that:

Every passenger must receive clearance from TSA before boarding the flight.

If your rhetoric is to be bought into, it would seem that India has "no semblance of independent foreign and domestic policy left" because it is complying with these requirements.

Here is the TSA's official statement on the Abul Kalam frisking:

TSA: TSA Statement on Security Screening of Former President of India

Basically, too bad, we're going to continue doing it and we won't take into account Indian VIP lists. After this, there was the incident involving the frisking of the Indian Ambassador. Has the US changed its policy? Or has India decided to stop sending VIPs to the US? Or has India just bitten its lip and complied with the TSA?

You are right and that is the point I am making - India raises a hue and cry about such instances and the MEA is about to apply similar rules to American diplomats traveling within India. UK is a special case - for all practical purposes it is the 51st state of the USA. I am not saying that Americans are right or wrong; all I am saying is that the people are not going to like it. If I was traveling from the Bombay airport and was going to be questioned by an American on why I was flying to Australia, I would probably tell him to go f... himself.

 

[illuzioN]

If I was traveling from the Bombay airport and was going to be questioned by an American on why I was flying to Australia, I would probably tell him to go f... himself.

aawwww comon mate, just answer the question :p

 

[Jackdaws]

aawwww comon mate, just answer the question :p

I would if I was flying to the US - although I would still not liked to be questioned by an American on my soil. But I would see the point. I just don't like America assuming the mantle of world cop. Mostly on principle, nothing else. As an Indian, would I feel better if a Pakistani flying from Lahore to Delhi was questioned in Lahore by an American before allowed to board? Hell, yes. But if I was a Pakistani, I would be pretty livid.

 

[TechLahore]

You are right and that is the point I am making - India raises a hue and cry about such instances and the MEA is about to apply similar rules to American diplomats traveling within India. UK is a special case - for all practical purposes it is the 51st state of the USA. I am not saying that Americans are right or wrong; all I am saying is that the people are not going to like it. If I was traveling from the Bombay airport and was going to be questioned by an American on why I was flying to Australia, I would probably tell him to go f... himself.

Americans wouldn't be questioning you in Bombay. But questions they have sent for you are asked by their representatives and this happens even today. By the way, all the agents I've ever run into in the UK are english, though they indirectly work for the TSA. And all the agents I've run into at Dubai airport are Arabs. The issue is not nationality. The issue is that the data they want, they are getting already. From India as much as anywhere else.

As for the people's reaction, if they disagree with any of this, they should refuse to travel to America. You shouldn't have to say "f... you" to an agent before you board the plane. You already know that if you are visiting the US, you are subject to heightened scrutiny. If you're not fine with that, don't buy the ticket... don't apply for the visa. Standing in line and getting upset is too little too late.

 

[TechLahore]

Pakistani flying from Lahore to Delhi was questioned in Lahore by an American

That scenario is not even on the table.