Afghans leaving for Pak., Iran: UNHCR

ISLAMABAD, SEPT. 17. With the U.S. attacks against Afghanistan looking imminent, a large number of Afghans are leaving cities for villages and neighbouring countries like Pakistan and Iran, the UNHCR said today.

Many people are said to be going to villages in Afghanistan where they have family connections, but many others are reportedly headed to the Pakistan border and some to the Iranian border, the UNHCR said in a statement here.

Pakistan and Iran have already closed their borders.

So far, Herat in the west and Mazar-I-Sharif in the north appear to be relatively calm, with no major population movements reported.

However, Kandahar is reported to be half empty. A large number of people are also reported to have left the capital, Kabul, as well as Jalalabad.

The humanitarian situation inside Afghanistan for millions of civilians is critical and may soon deteriorate in the light of the evacuation of international aid agency staff.

The UNHCR has dispatched emergency staff to the region and is preparing contingency plans and stockpiles in the event of a major refugee crisis. - PTI

Diplomats seek Indian visas UNI reports from Islamabad:

Diplomats in Islamabad are seeking Indian visas in anticipation of the United States attack on Afghanistan and an emergency situation in Pakistan.

Pakistan's leading daily The Dawn said the diplomatic staff of Swedish, Belgian and Norwegian embassies had already obtained Indian visas. It said the diplomats had requested the Pakistan Government to allow them to take their vehicles with them to India.

The paper said India had asked the diplomats based in Pakistan to seek Indian visas to leave Islamabad in case of an attack by the U.S. on Afghanistan. The Pakistan Government has already increased security for diplomats here and have advised them not to appear in public for a few days.

The U.K. Government had also advised British nationals to immediately leave the NWFP, Balochistan and northern areas, The Dawn said. The British nationals in Pakistan have been directed to see the new travel advice on the British High Commission's website.

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