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Pak. takes up detentions with U.S.

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD Aug. 9 Pakistan today urged the United States for early deportation of Pakistanis, who are under detention in different parts of the country on charges of violation of immigration laws, in a dignified and respectable manner.

The Pakistan Interior Minister, Moinuddin Haider, made the plea when the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration, Gene Dewey, at the head of three-member delegation, called on the Minister and exchanged views on various matters.

Most of the detentions took place after the September 11 terror attacks on America. The issue is a sore point in the ties between the U.S. and Pakistan.

At the meeting today, the two sides discussed at length the Afghan refugees' stay in Pakistan and their return. An estimated 2.5 million refugees were in Pakistan before the collapse of the Taliban regime in December last year. Reports by the U.N. agencies suggest that at least a million of the refugees have since returned.

The Interior Minister told Mr. Dewey that if economic developmental activities in Afghanistan were geared up, it would create a conducive atmosphere fro the speedy return of the migrants to their homeland. However, he made it clear that Pakistan has not pushed back any refugee and it was providing them with basic amenities.

He also apprised Mr. Dewey of the steps taken by the government for maintenance of the sanctity of the western border.

These included stepped up vigilance with the help of the U.S. Helicopters, maintenance of database of aliens in National Alien Registration Authority, installation of Passport Readable Machine in Karachi and expansion plan of the project to establish reliable security environment. Mr. Dewey appreciated the patience and goodwill gestures of Pakistanis towards their Afghan brethren during the last 23 years and said that the U. S. and Pakistan would work together for resolution of this problem, as they are partners in the coalition against terrorism.

He assured the Minister that overstaying Pakistanis would return home with honour.

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