ISLAMABAD -  Following the killing of two Chinese nationals in Balochistan, the Ministry of Interior in the light of the report of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) has decided to get cancelled registration of all foreign companies who would be found stepping out of their scope of work as permitted by the government of Pakistan.

A spokesperson of the Ministry of Interior said that as a first step, the ministry has cancelled visas of all foreign nationals associated with ARK Info Tech, a Korean Company, and all have been asked to leave the country. It has also been decided to get cancel registration of the company.

It is not yet clear how the ministry could take the decision of cancellation of registration of foreign firms without taking on board the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP).

Lee Zing Yang (24) and Meng Li Si (26), two Chinese nationals were abducted from Jinnah Town Quetta on May 24. On June 8, the Islamic State, also known with its Arab acronym Daesh, had claimed responsibility for their killing hours after the army said that it had killed some IS militants during an operation in Mastung area of Balochistan. Later, the investigations revealed that the two Chinese nationals were involved in preaching activities while working for the ARK Info Tech whose owner Juan Won Seo, a Korean national, was running an Urdu academy to provide Urdu learning facilities to foreigners in Quetta.

It was found that all foreigners associated with the company were violating their business visas’ conditions as they were not involved in any business besides the ARK Info Tech that was also violating the scope of work permission given by the government of Pakistan.

The interior ministry had ordered JIT to investigate the circumstances behind the abduction and subsequent killing of two Chinese and JIT has submitted its report to the Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, the spokesperson said. After reviewing the report, a number of steps are being taken, he said.

As part of its decisions, the ministry has decided to get conducted an audit of all foreign companies and firms through SECP for onward cancellation of registration of all those firms who either did not file their tax returns or involved in illegal activities violating their work permission. The SECP would ensure to scrutinise the particulars and financial matters of all foreign companies before heir registration in Pakistan to work.

The ministry had also ordered Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) launch investigations against those SECP officials who showed dereliction to their duty in the case of ARK Info Tech.

Foreign Affairs is being asked to re-examine the procedure of scrutinising of visa applicants and issuance of visa process to stop the practice of getting Pakistani visas through illegal methods and fake particulars, the ministry said. Foreign Office is also being asked to convey the Korean Ambassador to Pakistan the facts and evidences found against ARK Info Tech.

The ministry has decided that all the cases would be pursued properly registered against the management of ARK Info Tech for its alleged involvement in illegal activities. This would also be examined how ARK Info Tech violated visa laws and found involved in illegal activities against the national interests under the garb of running an Urdu Academy, the ministry said.

In June this year, soon after the killing of Chinese, the ministry had also announced to review, streamline and strictly regulate its visa policy for Chinese.

A meeting at the ministry had decided that the Foreign Office would be taken on board and its input would be taken while formulating new visa policy guidelines for issuance of visas to the foreigners on various categories.