CHAMAN, Pakistan (AP) -- About 2,000 ethnic Pashtun tribesmen rallied in this Pakistani border town near Afghanistan on Monday to condemn the Pakistani government for new border control measures.

Chanting slogans against Pakistan, the protesters also asked the government to abandon its plan to plant mines and build a fence along parts of its frontier with Afghanistan, as it could divide Pashtun families.

"These measures are not meant to stop Taliban from entering into Pakistan. These steps are aimed at dividing Pashtuns, who live on both sides of the border," said Sardar Gillani, a leader of the nationalist Awami National Party.

"Don't divide us. Don't stop us from going to Afghanistan. Don't stop Afghans from coming here because they are our brothers and sisters," he said.

The rally came a week after Pakistan opened its first biometrics control system to screen travelers as part of its efforts to check cross-border movement by militants.

It also came weeks after Pakistan said it would fence and mine parts of its frontier with Afghanistan to slow militants' activities. The plan is opposed by the Afghan government, which accuses Pakistan of abetting the Taliban.

Monday's protest came three days after thousands of angry Pashtuns staged a rally on the Afghan side of the border against the new controls.