UN concerned over refugees entry into Pak

CHAMAN (PAKISTAN), Oct 26 (Reuters) U.N.

Officials are voicingconcern about cooperation between Islamabad and the Taliban to stopa growing tide of Afghan refugees fleeing U.S.

Air strikes fromcrossing into Pakistan.

"There is an attempt to contain people from coming here,"a spokesman for the United Nations high commissioner forrefugees told reporters Yesterday at an emergencyrefugee camp outside the southwestern Pakistani border town ofChaman.

This placed the lives of terrified people at risk,spokesman Yousef Hasan said.

Although Pakistan has dropped its support for the Talibansince the start of U.S.-led strikes 18 days ago, Pakistaniofficials at the border said both sides were cooperating toblock Afghans trying to enter the country.

"We are extremely concerned and urging neighbouringcountries to open their doors for them," Hasan said, standingamid newly pitched tents at a desert site close to barbed wirefences put up by Pakistani border guards to block what Unhcrofficials fear could be an influx of 300,000 refugees in a"hort period" Pakistan says it already has more than three million Afghanrefugees and cannot take more, although it admits vulnerablepeople such as women without a male family member, children,the old and disabled.

A Pakistani border official, who refused to be identified,said his paramilitary force was arresting Afghans illegallyentering the country and handing them to Taliban authorities.

He said about 2,000 such Afghans were sent across theChaman border two days ago to a camp set up by the Taliban.

Hasan said the Taliban-run camp could become a target inU.S.-led raids as armed Afghans were mixed with other refugees.

Pakistani border authorities are also allowing Afghansinjured in bombings to be brought across for treatment.

At least 10 wounded Afghans were brought in on Thursday,including three women, some with shrapnel wounds.

Gul Mohammad, who accompanied the wounded, said 19civilians were killed and up to 15 wounded by the bombing of avillage near the southern afghan city of Kandahar, thespiritual capital of the hardline Islamic Taliban Movement.

The Taliban are being pursued for sheltering Saudi-borndissident Osama bin Laden and his followers in the Al Qaedagroup, who the United States say are responsible for theSeptember 11 attacks on Washington and New York.

"There was no Al Qaeda shelter in our village...

This isterrorism,"Gul said of the strike at Bori village, nearKandahar.

Some of the 300 people at the Unhcr emergency campcomplained they were not getting enough food.

Hasan acknowledged the situation was not very good but saidthe refugees "at least can sleep in safety for the night."