Srinagar: 935 foreign nationals, who have mentioned their present address as the State of Jammu & Kashmir in the application, have been granted registration as OCI cardholders, ministry of external affairs said on Wednesday.
Responding to a question by National Conference parliamentarian and former high court judge Hasnain Masoodi, seeking the number of Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) cards issued to the residents of Jammu and Kashmir State who are citizens of other countries, MoS in the ministry of external affairs, V. Muraleedharan told Lok Sabha that under the PIO card scheme of 2002, PIO cards were issued to foreign nationals of Indian origin.
“The erstwhile PIO card scheme of 2002 has been rescinded vide MHA’s notification dated 9th Janaury 2015 and has been merged with OCI card scheme launched by MHA in 2005,” he said, adding, “Accordingly, only OCI cards are being issued at present. As per information available with MHA, till date 935 foreign nationals, who have mentioned their present address as the State of Jammu & Kashmir in the application, have been granted registration as OCI cardholders.”
