Aamir Javed Musharraf, the nephew of Pakistani President Prevez Musharraf, was placed into the custody of immigration officials in Memphis after he reported to the INS for special registration under the NSEERS program. The National Security Exit-Entry Act required all nationals from 25 mostly Arab countries who are long-term visitors to be photographed and fingerprinted.

Musarraf was detained in connection with overstaying a six-month visitor visa issued in 1994. Immigration authorities released him on Friday. The National Security Exit-Entry Act required all nationals from 25 mostly Arab countries who are long-term visitors to be photographed and fingerprinted. Musharraf, a Pakistani national, was detained while registering under the new immigration regulations because in 1997 he had been ordered deported. An immigration judge in New York City stayed the order last week giving Musharraf the opportunity to file a petition Tuesday to reopen his deportation case.

When he lived in Nashville, he was a licensed affiliate real estate broker and worked for American Heritage Inc. A Pakistani embassy official said that it remains unclear why he chose to surrender to immigrations officials in Memphis. Real estate agents who worked with him said that they had a pretty good idea who he was though they did not discuss religion or politics with him. “We talked mostly real estate,” one agent told Memphis' Commercial Appeal newspaper.

President Musharraf’s brother is Aamir’s father. The Pakistani president has been President Bush's close ally in the war on terrorism, helping to track down suspected terrorists. The Pakistani government was instrumental in the arrest last week of Khalid Shaikh Mohammad, the accused terrorist who is believed to have masterminded the September 11^th attack and other al-Qaida terrorist activities. Musharraf became president in October 1999 after a bloodless coup d'etat.

The time and place of Aamir Musharraf’s deportation hearing has not been released.