US asked to grant 'Temporary Protected Status' to Pakistanis sans proper documentation

WASHINGTON: Pakistan has formally asked the United States to consider granting Temporary Protected Status to its nationals currently living in the US without proper documentation, in view of the devastation caused by the floods in the country.

Pakistan's Information and Broadcasting Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said that his nation handed over a letter to the Homeland Security Department on the second day of the Pak-US Strategic Dialogue, requesting the grant of the temporary immigration status for its nationals there, the Daily Times reported.

The Homeland Security Department has said that it would look into the request.

The US gives TPS to nationals of designated countries that face situations like environmental disasters or armed conflicts.

Briefing the media at the end of the daylong deliberations by various working groups, Kaira said that the Obama administration had committed to step up efforts for a requisite congressional legislation on allowing Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZ) in Pakistan.