NEW YORK, Oct 26: In a representation with the US State Department and the US Justice Department, Pakistan on Friday expressed deep concern over the death of one Pakistani in custody and the reported mistreatment of Pakistani nationals at the hands of various US law enforcement agencies.

Ever since the Sept 11 attacks, Pakistanis living in the United States have come under intense scrutiny by the US law enforcement agencies who have detained scores of Pakistanis for interrogation and investigation. Besides, Pakistani nationals have been victims of hate crimes and attacks by the miscreants.

Stopping short of a protest note with the US government, Pakistan embassy has sought the whereabouts of 12 Pakistanis who were reported to have been detained by US agencies by their relatives.

A Pakistan embassy official said that so far the US Justice department has located nine Pakistanis, of which eight are in custody of the US Immigration and Naturalization services and one is in the custody of FBI.

Those in the custody of INS include, Syed Shakeeb Raza Shah, Syed Musharraf Raza Shah, Sajjad Ismail, Basit Hasan, Mohammed Wasim, Faisal Islam, Amjad Ali Jafri and Mohammed Aslam Pervez is in FBI ‘s custody.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Embassy has sought explanation about the death of Pakistani while in custody of US immigration authorities in New Jersey jail.

Mohammad Rafique Butt was found lying on his back on his bed early on Tuesday in his cell at the Hudson County jail, the INS deportation centre in Kearny, New Jersey.

The 55-year-old Mohammed Rafique Butt, a Pakistani citizen was detained by FBI on September 19 for questioning in connection with the World Trade Centre terrorist attack investigation. It was determined that there was absolutely no link between him and terrorist attacks. However, he was being held by Immigration and Naturalization Services because he overstayed his visa and was charged with a violation of the immigration law.

According to the jail officials “all he complained about were his gums, so we brought in the dentist and it was determined that he had gingivitis.” Butt had been treated for the gum infection gingivitis with 500 mg of tetracycline three times daily from October 1 to October 6. Tetracycline is one of the antibiotics commonly used to treat anthrax exposure, but initial post-mortem test showed no signs of the bacterium.

The deceased showed no flu-like symptoms before his death, Hudson County officials said. After performing autopsy on Mr Butt, the New Jersey Medical Examiner determined that he died of heart attack.

Mr Butt, according to INS authorities signed a waiver saying that Pakistan consulate should not be informed of his detention.

However, Mr Butt’s relatives maintain that since Butt had agreed to be deported why did the Immigration authorities took one month to dispose of his case. Pakistan Embassy officials say that Mr Butt’s body would be flown to Pakistan on Friday by Pakistan Airlines following a Namaz-i-Janaza here.

In United States largest ever probe, after the Sep 11 attack a regular action of American police and Immigration agencies about rounding up people is based on nationality or race. More than 165 Pakistani immigrants have been rounded up and held after raids on homes, gas stations and other businesses.

Every community has undocumented people: Russian, Chinese, Spanish, Caribbean, but they are not rounding any of them up other than Pakistanis, said a Pakistani community leader decrying targeting of Pakistani nationals.

He said, “it’s like the Second World War, when they put all the Japanese in concentration camps, now they are doing it to Pakistani Muslims.” A spokeswoman for the Immigration and Naturalization Service said the agency is assisting the FBI in the investigation of the Sept. 11 disaster but that it is not engaged in profiling.