350 Pakistanis go 'missing' in Uttar Pradesh

Of the 350 Pakistani nationals, the maximum number 34 are untraceable in the state capital Lucknow. Representation pic

Lucknow: The Line of Control (LoC) between Pakistan and India may be a good several hundred kilometres from here, but the escalation of hostilities between the two nations has sent the Uttar Pradesh Police into a tizzy over 350 "missing" Pakistanis.

This, according to official sources, is the number of Pakistanis who entered the state over the past few years on bona fide visas but have since gone missing - or at least there is no record of them having left the state. Local intelligence units (LIUs) have been pressed into service to find the present locations of the missing people. When contacted, Home Secretary Mani Prasad Mishra refused to comment citing the "sensitivity" of the matter, but said the "intelligence set-up was working and all information gathered has been shared with the concerned authorities."

Of those who have gone missing, the maximum number of Pakistanis whose "exit point" have not been recorded in intelligence offices are from the state capital Lucknow, where 34 are untraceable.

"Every Pakistani national, on arrival in a city, has to fill up form C with the LIU and also record his or her exit from the said city. But as we have been noticing, some do not follow the procedure," an officer at the DGP headquarters said.

‘Don't panic'
Senior Home Department officials said that intelligence officers have been sensitised on the issue, adding that there was no need for panic. "We are aware of the situation and doing all what is necessary," an official said.