In a written reply, the Interior Minister said that 3,920 foreign students were studying in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa, 197 in Sindh, 69 in Punjab and 50 in Islamabad. No foreigner was studying in Balochistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

The minister said a ban was imposed on admission and entry of foreign students in Deeni Madaris (religious seminaries) in 2005, but visa extension would be allowed to all those already studying and holding no-objection certificates from their respective governments or embassies.

Malik said that the facility of "re-entry visa" would be extended in favour of every NOC holding foreign student with increase in visa fee.