Imphal, Oct 13: The Protected Area Permit (PAP) system which prohibits foreign nationals from visiting some North Eastern States including Manipur without obtaining due permit from the Ministry of Home Affairs has been relaxed for the States of Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland for another 5 more years.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has announced that relaxation of 5 years has been made on ‘Protected Area Regime’ under Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958 for the states of Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram with effect from the 13th of December 2017 till the 31st December 2022.
A Circular issued by Ministry of Home Affairs has informed this decision to Chief Secretaries of Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram, a source said.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has also stated that if there is any kind of obstruction in carrying out the rules and regulations, the Central Government will have a liberty on the revision of the relaxation. It also said that Citizens of Afghanistan, China and Pakistan will have to take an approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs in order to get access to Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram. It said violators will be punished under Foreigners Act.
The restriction was lifted on January 1, 2014 by the MHA for a period of 2 years.
The three States were put outside the ambit of PAP regime for the first time on January 1, 2013 for a period of one year.
However, the relaxation of PAP regime is not applicable to citizens of Afghanistan, China and Pakistan.