Islamabad, Sept 17: The US has told Pakistan to expedite the installation of the multi-million dollar Personnel Identification Secure Comparison Evaluation System (Pisces) at the exit and entry points of the country like the airports and railway stations.

Pisces that has been installed by US at the Karachi Airport will provide personal details of every traveller entering or going out of the country. The US Deputy Secretary, Richard Armitage in a letter to Pakistan's Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider has said that his country was receiving enhanced data of Pakistani and foreign nationals using country's international airports for travelling due to the Pisces, installed with American assistance this year.

Similar systems were being installed at Quetta, Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar Airports in addition to the 13 other entry and exit points. The system was supplied totally free of cost by the US to keep a regular check on the movement of Islamic militants. US had designated a team to upgrade the system already in place in Karachi. This team has already reached Karachi, a report in the local daily 'The News' quoted Armitage as saying yesterday.

Armitage said the new system being installed in Pakistan was the largest and most ambitious in the world and it will be the first nationwide integrated system ever installed, adding it provided direct connection to the intelligence bureau. He said successful deployment of the system in Karachi provides both sides with valuable lessons and will serve as a model for the remaining 17 national entry points. He said "currently we are completing the development of software that must be tested prior to deployment".

Bureau Report