PESHAWAR, Jan 12: The US ambassador-at-large and member of the visiting US National Defence University delegation, Robin Raphel, called on the chairperson of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Afrasiab Khattak, here on Sunday and discussed with him international, regional and national human rights situation.

Ms Raphel remained with Mr Khattak for about an hour at his residence situated at Old Bara Road, University Town.

She explained to Mr Khattak the point of view of the US government on human rights, specially regarding Afghanistan concerning the US-led war on terrorism.

She also heard the views of Mr Khattak on different issues, including discriminatory laws in vogue in Pakistan. Mr Khattak expressed his views on different international, national and regional human rights issues.

He also shared with Ms Raphel experience of his recent visits as well as visits of other members of the HRCP to Afghanistan and expressed concern over the violation of human rights during the anti-terror war in Afghanistan.

Mr Khattak also expressed concern on violation of rights of the Pakistani prisoners arrested in Afghanistan. He stated that they had specially met the Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, and informed him about the detention of a large number of Pakistanis in Afghanistan.

Sources privy to the meeting said that Ms Raphel tried to dispel the impression that the US government was involved in violation of human rights. She said that the acts of the US government were aimed at curbing terrorism and not at violating fundamental rights of an individual.

Mr Khattak informed that the HRCP was a monitoring body and it also extended legal assistance in cases of discrimination on the basis of sex, religion, caste, colour or creed. Moreover, he added that they had struggled against the presence of discriminatory laws in Pakistan.