Pakistan military beefs up surveillance, checks at border

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Pakistan sent helicopter gunships to the skies and troops on horses and mules to caves along its border with Afghan-istan to keep Osama bin Laden and his allies from sneaking into the country, officials said Friday.

"We have made it impossible for bin Laden to enter our country," Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider said.

Pakistan began beefing up security to arrest bin Laden just hours after the fall of the Taliban government, its former ally, in Afghanistan. Three hundred checkpoints have been installed along the porous border, officials said.

"Pakistan has taken effective measures" to keep bin Laden and Taliban head Mullah Mohammed Omar from sneaking into its territory, Kanton Keith, a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition against terrorism, said Friday.

Pakistan's intelligence agency, ISI, also said it would arrest anyone entering the country without proper documents. ISI said Arabs had been seen moving into Pakistan's Tirah Valley, prompting the arrest of at least 48 foreigners, including 23 Arabs.

Demonstrations rocked the Muslim country in October when military ruler Gen. Pervez Musharraf decided to side with the international community in the war on terrorism.

Thousands of tribesmen joined protests. But since the fall of the Taliban, the tribesmen have started cooperating with Musharraf's government, assuring officials they would not shelter bin Laden or his men, officials said.