Posted on 09/26/2001 12:31:44 AM PDT by JohnHuang2
PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Pakistan will not open its border to refugees fleeing a feared U.S. attack on Afghanistan for security reasons, but will shelter those who succeed in entering illegally, a provincial governor said on Wednesday."Pakistan will not be able to open its borders for two reasons," Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah, governor of the North West Frontier Province bordering Afghanistan, told a news conference.
"Firstly the (opposition) Northern Alliance openly criticise Pakistan. If people come from those areas come they could indulge in sabotage," he said.
"Secondly the Taliban have also threatened dire consequences if attacked," he said, referring to Taliban threats to declare a holy war on anyone who supports a U.S. attack.
"The camps will be for those people who manage to get in," he said. "We have to take them somewhere."
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