Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Pakistan Restricts Border Crossing from Afghanistan

Aired November 15, 2001 - 06:12   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: The mass exodus of civilians from Afghanistan to Pakistan ended when the Pakistanis closed the border to almost all traffic, and now those closed borders are keeping many Afghans from returning home.

CNN's Rebecca MacKinnon reports on the turmoil at the Torkham Border Crossing, where a CNN photographer was the target of Pakistani guards.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REBECCA MACKINNON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At the border, Pakistani police beat back Afghans hoping to get home. A border official attacks CNN photographer, Margaret Mop (ph), as she tries to film the border crossing from a distance. The only woman photographer here, police singled her out for harassment, as other international TV crews moved with much less obstruction.

But none of us could figure out what was happening over on the other side of the border. The Pakistani authorities had closed it to most traffic coming out of Afghanistan, except for trucks coming to pick up food aid. It was closed completely to all traffic from Pakistan. They won't tell us why the closure is tougher now than it had been lately.

That left many anxious Afghans stranded on the wrong side from home, without news of their loved ones, unable to get back to them at such an uncertain time.

This man has been here since early morning trying to get home to Kabul. He says he's hoping rival commanders won't fight over his hometown.

This man, from Jalalabad, where the Taliban had just been ousted, still hadn't heard from his family. He says he didn't like the Taliban, but hopes there won't be a repeat of the situation before the Taliban came to power, when different commanders controlled different territory, and there was widespread looting and killing.

As everybody waited, the Taliban continued to retreat from Nangahar Province on the other side. The key eastern city of Jalalabad is the provincial capital.

(on camera): Police won't let us get close enough to film it, but on the other side of the border are two white Taliban flags. As long as those flags are up, the Taliban is still in charge.

(voice-over): By the end of the day, the Taliban, apparently without a fight, did relinquish control of the border area to anti- Taliban forces. Pakistan's border police were not among those celebrating, doing everything they could to prevent us from getting a clear picture of what was happening on the other side.

Rebecca MacKinnon, CNN, near the Torkham Border Crossing, Pakistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CALLAWAY: Wow! And for more on the military campaign in Afghanistan, you can visit the war room at CNN.com. You can view the latest airstrike maps. You can read military briefings and submit your questions to our panel. The AOL keyword is CNN.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.