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Pakistan protests U.S. anti-terror policy
From CNN Producer Syed Mohsin Naqvi
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistan's ruling party has passed a resolution demanding that the United States not mistreat Pakistani citizens and voicing concern over America's anti-terror policy requiring Pakistanis and others to register with the government. During the Pakistani Muslim League general council meeting Saturday, newly-elected party president Chaudary Shaujaat Hussain affirmed that Pakistan and the United States remained partners in the war against terrorism. However, officials said that if Washington does not change its attitude regarding the registration process, relations between the two countries could be affected. The party's general council also directed Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali Saheb to bring home Pakistani prisoners in Afghanistan who were arrested for supporting the Taliban. The prime minister, who was sworn in November 23 last year, is responsible for the day-to-day running of the country, although President Pervez Musharraf, a general, retains the right to dismiss parliament. The ruling party's resolution concerns the post-September 11 directive from U.S. President George W. Bush, which requires men from 13 countries who are living in the United States to register with the Immigration and Naturalization Service and be fingerprinted, photographed and questioned. ArrestsIn the first phase, men from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Sudan and Syria were required to register with the INS. The second phase includes men from Afghanistan, Algeria, Lebanon, North Korea, Bahrain, Eritrea, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Somalia, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. The INS will add Saudi Arabia and Pakistan on Feb. 21. Last month, the INS arrested nearly 400 immigrants across the country after they registered. Most of those arrests took place in California. At least 47 men are still in custody from detentions in the first two phases of the registration. "It is not a roundup. It is not a sting. It's a registration process where INS folks in these offices encounter people who are violating the law they have an obligation to process them," said acting-INS Commissioner Michael Garcia. He said that people whose background checks raise flags may also be detained.
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