Pakistani Foreign Minister Khursid Mahmood Kasuri has said that he will make a formal appeal to the Bush administration to exempt certain Pakistani nationals from the INS special registration program. The registration requirement has created a furor in Pakistan , which has been a key US ally in the war on terrorism. Kasuri said he hoped to reach some agreement whereby Pakistanis with a long history in the US would not be required to register. The Bangladeshi Foreign Minister has made a similar request.

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At the beginning of the special registration period for the third group, INS officials say that more than 24,000 people have registered so far, with more than 1,170 arrested and detained when they appeared to register. Officials also say that about one in ten of those who have reported could face deportation, and about 2,500 have been put in proceedings. A Justice Department attorney says that the program has led to the arrests of three people suspected of having terrorist connections. Under a similar program calling for registration upon entry to the US , 30,828 people had been registered as of last week. Inspectors had denied entry or arrested 330 people.