Pakistan's commissioner for Afghan refugees in this southwestern town insisted that the Chaman border crossing remained open to emergency cases and that 50 people had crossed Thursday.
"It is our federal government policy that those in urgent need can cross the border," commissioner Akber Durani told AFP.
Military sources said 50 people, mostly women, children and the elderly, were allowed into Pakistan from Afghanistan Thursday.
Another 275 people had sneaked across the border at areas outside Chaman.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Wednesday said Pakistan authorities had suspended the admission and registration of Afghan refugees through Chaman.
UNHCR spokesman Yusuf Hassan said the move was imposed after a temporary camp at nearby Killi Faizo reached its capacity.
Durani said the refugees crossing Thursday would go to Killi Faizo despite aid agencies saying a sign had been posted at the camp telling them to return to Spin Boldak on the Afghan side of the Chaman border post.
World Food Program spokeswoman Heather Hill said earlier Thursday it was unlikely there had been a shift in Islamabad's policy of allowing the needy through.
"As far as I can tell it's more about capacity (at Killi Faizo) than the border being closed," she told AFP.
Up to 130,000 Afghans have fled to Pakistan since the international terrorist crisis erupted.
The UNHCR has estimated that up to 1.5 million Afghans could cross to neighbouring countries in the long term, with about one million heading for Pakistan.
The United Nations has opened 15 longer-term camps in the southwest Pakistan province of Baluchistan and in North West Frontier Province to cater for 150,000 people.
So far they remain practically empty. Many refugees have fled by bribing officials or crossing at remote points with the help of people smugglers.
Most fear deportation and have avoided authorities and moved in with friends and relatives in cities such as Quetta and Peshawar.
The UNHCR said Killi Faizo had reached its capacity of about 1,900 refugees. More than half are thought to be children, some of whom were injured by US bombing or are traumatised -- QUETTA, Pakistan, (AFP)
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
