NEW DELHI – Pakistan made first payment of $2.259 million for the runningof South Asian University (SAU), a SAARC initiative, but raised with NewDelhi the issue of students from the country not getting the mandatoryquota in admissions, two persons familiar with the development said.

Pakistan not paying the agreed share of SAU’s operational cost was a boneof contention between the two countries and New Delhi had sent twodiplomatic communications urging Pakistan to pay up in the last year.

The SAU is active since 2010 and Pakistan was the only nation in theeight-member South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation group whichis yet to make any financial contribution.

“The Pakistan paid the first for the first time. $2.259 million was paid aspart of dues,” said an official on condition of anonymity. Another officialsaid the total due of Pakistan was $7,850,000 before this payment was made.Pakistan had agreed to foot 11.83% of the operational cost as againstIndia’s 51.8% share.

But Pakistan raised a host of concerns with India, including Delhi notgranting visa to any student last year. Pakistan told India it should getthe “mandatory quota of 10%” under the SAU charter in admissions.

The SAU has 500 odd students now, including six from Pakistan. And it hasone official from Pakistan at present. Till January there were twoofficials. The other faculty and staff at the SAU comprise nationals ofIndia, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan.

A third official said visa is independent of admission to Indianuniversities including SAU. “Visa rules are different and getting admissionin SAU doesn’t mean, the students would automatically get the visa withoutfulfilling the requirements.”