Islamabad: Ahead of his maiden trip to the United States, Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri has said he would press the Bush administration to exempt Pakistanis settled in America from registering under Immigration and Naturalisation Service (INS).

Promising to accord top priority to the INS issue during his 10-day visit beginning on January 19, Kasuri told reporters in Rawalpindi on January 16 that he would advice US authorities not to "harass" Pakistanis residing in the US under their newly-inducted registration laws.

Kasuri appealed to the US to review its registration laws and exclude Pakistan from the list as it is a front-line state in US-led war against terrorism.

Kasuri said his government has already urged US authorities to take a lenient view towards all Pakistanis residing there except anyone linked to subversive activities.

He also urged the international community to review the "anti-Muslim policies" for establishing global peace and bringing an end to terrorism.

"The international war against terrorism may turn into a war between Islam and infidels if the anti-Muslim policies all over the globe were not reviewed," he said.

Kasuri said that during his visit to US he would also discuss several other issues including economic and Defence cooperation between Pakistan and the US, Kashmir issue and nuclear deterrence.

PTI