Two Pakistani nationals were arrested in Zimbabwe on suspicion of being illegal immigrants when they tried to cross into South Africa, national police said on Saturday.
Colonel Vish Naidoo said the two had suspicious documents when they were arrested by the Zimbabwean police.
Naidoo denied earlier reports that the men were held on suspicion of terrorism.
“Nothing like that [terrorism] was ever discussed. The Zimbabwean police only arrested the two because they had wrong documents. We were informed because they were trying to come to South Africa,” he said.
Naidoo did not have further details on the matter.
According to media reports the two were Imran Muhammad (33) and Chaudry Parvez Ahmed (39) and they tried to enter South Africa via the Beit Bridge border crossing with Zimbabwe on Sunday.
Zimbabwe’s government-run Herald newspaper said police believed the suspects tried to enter the country with fake passports.
The men flew from Saudi Arabia to Tanzania where they allegedly acquired fake Kenyan passports before entering Zimbabwe.
Police did not release further details. “They are in Harare and in custody as investigations on the case continue,” the Herald quoted a police spokesperson as saying. – Sapa