WASHINGTON, Jan 29: US Secretary of State Colin Powell said here on Wednesday the United States was aware of Pakistan’s concerns about INS registration and would ensure that “there’s no discrimination” against the Pakistanis.

Addressing a joint news conference with Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri at the State Department, Mr Powell said the minister had given him “some ideas” about how to allay the fears of Pakistanis and he had promised to ensure that “there’s no discrimination” against the Pakistanis.

“The foreign minister gave me full description of the concerns of the Pakistanis with the INS registration programme, both here and at home,” said Powell, adding that the programme was not directed “against Pakistanis or Muslims but was designed to address America’s security concern.”

Responding to a question, Kasuri said he had informed the secretary of state of how the issue had agitated the public opinion in Pakistan.

He urged the US administration to provide necessary relief to the Pakistanis “within the US law”.

“We informed the secretary that the Pakistanis fear the registration programme could lead to a mass deportation of Pakistanis from the United States. I also told him how devastating such a deportation would be for our relations with the United States,” said Kasuri.