Multan (Pakistan), Jan 15: Angered over new US immigration rules that require Pakistanis to be photographed and fingerprinted, about 100 young people demonstrated today in this central Pakistani city, burning a us flag and demanding better treatment from us authorities. "Pakistan is a front-line state in America's war against terrorism, but despite it our people are being victimized,'' Shahid Mahmood Ansari, president of the All Pakistan Youth Alliance - a grouping of youth organizations - told protesters here in Multan.
"We demand that this unfair treatment should end immediately,'' he said.
The march came a day after Pakistan's government appealed to Washington to exempt its citizens from the new requirements, which apply to 19 other countries.
The countries named are ones whose citizens are considered most likely to create a risk to US security. Pakistanis were added to the list in December and have until Feb. 21 to register or risk deportation. When the deadline for visitors from five other countries expired last month, hundreds were detained for not complying.
Pakistani foreign minister Khursheed Kasuri is traveling to Washington on Sunday to take up the matter.
Ansari said Pakistan risked everything when it gave support to the US-led coalition after the Sept.11 attacks on the United States for launching a war against terrorism.
"Is it a reward of this support that our people are being detained in America,'' he said. Bureau Report