ISLAMABAD, Jan 29: Pakistan on Tuesday deplored the treatment meted out to prominent social worker Abdul Sattar Edhi by US authorities and described it as inappropriate.

“The harassment of Pakistan’s prominent citizen, who is also the face of the country, at the JFK airport, New York, is regrettable,” Foreign Office spokesman Muhammad Sadiq said. He said the attitude of the US authorities was not commensurate with the status of the eminent philanthropist.

Mr Edhi, who has charity offices in several countries, including the US, was interrogated for over eight hours and his passport was seized before he was allowed to enter the country.

The issue, the spokesman said, was being discussed with the US authorities.

“Our consulate in New York and the embassy in Washington are in touch with relevant authorities in the US to resolve the issue,” Mr Sadiq said.

He said the government had assured Mr Edhi’s family about his safe and early return.

This was the third time that Mr Edhi, who is in his late seventies, ran into trouble with immigration officials abroad. In 2006, he was investigated by Canadian authorities and in 2007 he was detained at the New York airport.

Our Correspondent adds from New York: Mr Edhi said on Tuesday that reports of his “threatened deportation” by the US authorities was a ‘misunderstanding’ created by his people in Pakistan.

Mr Edhi’s Pakistani passport and Americal green card have been confiscated by the US Immigration authorities till the settlement of his case on Feb 20.

Because of the green card, Mr Edhi could be eligible for obtaining an American passport but given various new restrictions he would have to stay in the United States for some extended period of time.

But, he says that given his commitments at home “I cannot stay in the United States for any extended period and I have told the US authorities to take away my green card. Just let me go back to Pakistan.

Consul-General of Pakistan Mohsin Razi told Dawn that Pakistan embassy in Washington and Foreign Office in Islamabad were in touch with the US State Department and they had agreed to expedite Mr Edhi’s case.

Mr Razi expects the case to be settled soon.