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Rediff.com  » News » US seeks access to Pakistan fliers, airports

US seeks access to Pakistan fliers, airports

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January 03, 2011 20:15 IST
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The United States 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 published on Monday.

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," he added.

If the proposal is accepted, it could compromise the privacy of individuals and jeopardise 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.
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