Return to Transcripts main page

Prism

Terrorist Explosions Hit Popular Market In Pakistan, Causing An Inferno, Casualties Are Mounting

Aired December 07, 2009 - 12:00   ET

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

STAN GRANT, CNN INT'L. ANCHOR, PRISM (voice over): Twin explosions in Pakistan, reports of casualties are coming in.

In tonight's "Prism Segment" we will look at the U.S. role in Pakistan and the strategic partnership.

Two weeks, 192 nations, the biggest climate conference in history is now underway. But an e-mail scandal is casting a shadow over the summit.

And protestors take to the streets in Tehran, on an anniversary that has taken on a whole new meaning.

(On camera): From CNN Abu Dhabi in United Arab Emirates, this is PRISM, where we take a story and look at it from multiple perspectives. I'm Stan Grant.

Breaking news coming into CNN on the escalating violence rocking Pakistan; two explosions have ripped through a market in the eastern city of Lahore, this after an earlier suicide bombing Peshawar. We we'll get more information straight away. We are joined by Reza Sayah in Islamabad.

Reza.

REZA SAYAH, CNN INT'L. CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Stan, just a terrible scene in Lahore at this hour. Based on the pictures that are coming in to CNN, there is an inferno right now at a market in Lahore. And at this point, firefighters have yet to be able to control this large fire. According to police, this fire was caused by at least two explosions at a place called Moon Market, in Lahore.

At this point, according to a hospital official 3 people have been killed and 15 people have been brought into this particular hospital with injuries. But the official tells CNN more injured victims are being brought over to the hospital.

Let's tell you a little bit about Moon Market. This is one of the most popular markets in downtown Lahore. A market that is lined with shops and restaurants and usually bustling with activity. The time when this attack happened is usually a time when families, women, children, sit down, either to have dinner or are there to go shopping.

Reporters, we have been monitoring from local Pakistani TV, are describing just an awful scene with bodies strewn all over the place. We still don't have confirmation what caused these two explosions. But if, indeed, this is a militant attack, it would be the third militant attack of the day. Earlier today you had suicide blast in Peshawar; 11 people killed, there. And also this afternoon there was a planted bomb inside a car in Koweta (ph), where several people were injured there.

Once again, we are trying to find out exactly what caused these twin explosions at a very busy, popular market, in Lahore, Stan. At this point the death toll stands at three. Local television reports are saying at least 20 people have died. We are working to get more details for you. We'll bring them to you when they become available, Stan.

GRANT: Reza, thank you very much for that. Reza Sayah joining us live there, from Islamabad, with that breaking new out of Lahore.

Well, Pakistan is the focus of our "Prism Segment" this evening. What should the U.S. role there be? But first we'll take a look at what is been a deadly few days. Earlier Monday, as Reza mentioned, there was another suicide bombing outside the district courthouse in Peshawar. Eleven people were killed.

The courthouse attack comes just days after militants stormed a mosque in Rawalpindi, frequented by the military. At least 36 were killed, 75 wounded. Among the dead 17 children, according to military officials.

In a statement e-mailed to CNN the Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the mosque bombing. It reads: "We once again mention that we are not against the innocent people and the state of Pakistan, but against those officers and ministers who are American by hearts and minds and Pakistani just by faces."

The attacks are partially in response to the recent Pakistani army offensive in the northwest, but they are a constant reminder of the Pakistani Taliban's desire to destabilize the country. This all comes at a time when the United States is looking to Pakistan for help in its fight next door, in Afghanistan.

In the speech outlining his strategy in Afghanistan President Barack Obama spelled out the link.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We will act with the full recognition that our success in Afghanistan is inextricably linked to our partnership with Pakistan.

We are in Afghanistan to prevent a cancer from once again spreading through that country. But this same cancer has also taken root in the border region of Pakistan. That is why we need a strategy that works on both sides of the border.

These are the tree core elements of our strategy: A military effort to create the conditions for a transition; a civilian surge that reinforces positive action and effective partnership with Pakistan.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRANT: There is dissent. Some of it coming from Mr. Obama's party.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. ROBERT MENENDEZ, (D) NEW JERSEY: I get no sense that we have a Pakistan strategy. We have been talking about offering them a strategic relationship. They don't seem to want a strategic relationship. They want the money. They want the equipment. But at the end of the day, they don't want a relationship that costs them too much.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRANT: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the U.S. is committed to its Pakistan relationship despite past problems.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: There were many problems that, you know, we had to take some responsibility for. But we did not. So, I want to make clear to the people of both Afghanistan and Pakistan, that we are looking for a long-term partnership.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRANT: But is the Pakistani public turning against the U.S.? The U.S. special envoy to the region, Richard Holbrooke, admits Mrs. Clinton took some tough questions from average Pakistanis on her recent visit.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHARD HOLBROOKE, U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY TO MIDDLE EAST: She calmly dealt with each criticism. At one point somebody criticized our foreign aid as demeaning their sovereignty. And she said, well, if you don't want the aid, you don't have to take it. And that silenced people. And, of course, they want it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRANT: As for Pakistani public opinion about the U.S., our team got a variety of views.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't want them to be bosses of Pakistan. We will be the boss of Pakistan. And we want them to do things in their country, OK? This is our Pakistan. We better know how to do things here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I totally believe the Americans, when they came to Afghanistan, after that the problems started in Pakistan, and all of that. Before the Americans came to Afghanistan we see that Pakistan was a peaceful country.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We do not hold the people of America responsible for this. We hold the American government responsible.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): No, at least Muslims don't trust America. Muslims don't believe in America because of its policies.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know what is behind in their minds, the Taliban. Why they attacking our innocent people over here? But I think if they are behind this, then they are the bigger enemy of Pakistan and our people.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Taliban, in the present situation are the great enemy of Pakistan, as well as the international -in the international sense; not only for Pakistan, but for many other countries. But United States policies keep on changing. I mean, they don't have a long-term policy. They have a tendency to dump their allies, when the need is over.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, Americans are very good people. I trust them. But their government and their policymakers, they are not good to us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRANT: Well, for more perspective on what is going on in the region and whether the U.S. is helping or hurting, we turn to Parag Khanna, with the New America Foundation. He joins us live from New York.

Another day of violence in Pakistan and just getting a snapshot of some views there people hold the U.S. responsible to some degree for what is happening in Pakistan, with the militant threat. Do they have a point?

PARAG KHANNA, NEW AMERICA FOUNDATION: Well, what the U.S. and Pakistan are doing together is now fairly coordinated on the military side. There is a consensus within Pakistan that they need to undertake much more aggressive operations right now, in the tribal areas, against the Taliban. And, of course, in the border areas to prevent the Taliban from spilling back over into Pakistan, as the U.S. surge takes shape.

So, it something that is quite mutual, actually, whether or not the public agrees with it. Though, in fact, recent surveys show that many Pakistanis are in favor of the military activity that is going on in the region. This is the backlash against that, these bombings. So unfortunately it is something for which everyone has to share the blame. It is not something that can simply be blamed on the United States.

GRANT: Here is one of the problems, and we just heard it mentioned, there, from one gentleman that we spoke to. They don't trust the United States. They don't believe that the United States is going to stay the course. They believe the United States policies change, that they will abandon the region. Already we are hearing from Barack Obama he is looking to try to get out of Afghanistan as soon as possible. Do they have a point with that? Is it right to fear that the U.S. will leave the region, again, to the militants?

KHANNA: Well, there is a difference between the 1980s and today. When people make that analogy they are basically arguing that the United States will leave the region unstable. But, of course, the priority today is to stabilize Afghanistan and allow it to be sovereign and self- governing, and to shore up and strengthen Pakistani institutions so that they can manage their own security and governance as well.

So, the notion that the United States is simply going to abandon them as broken states is quite unfair given the enormous effort that President Obama is now promising to both countries to help them stabilize themselves. So, I think it is a bit unfair, again, to make that comparison to the 1980s.

Again, one thing that is going on now is that Pakistanis themselves are realizing that they are at risk. You had one commentator on the street, there, in the package, saying that the Taliban is the greatest enemy of Pakistan, the military is now going against them, with U.S. support, a large segment of the Pakistani population does support that.

GRANT: The problem here, though, is who do you trust? Because we also know that Pakistan has relied on the militants to some degree for strategic (AUDIO GAP) particularly with the threat that they see from India. Is there still the prospect of double dealing, to put it bluntly? Can President Obama rely on Pakistan and the Pakistan government and military?

KHANNA: Well, unfortunately there is no evidence that India/Pakistan proxy competition in Afghanistan is de-escalating. Unfortunately, that is still quite rife. And at the same time the prospect of the U.S. pulling out does keeps hopes alive in the Pakistani strategic community that they can revert to this policy of strategic death, as you said, in Afghanistan once the U.S. pulls out. So, unfortunately, the calculus, the strategic calculus, by Pakistan is not likely to shift anytime soon. That is very problematic for the long-term stability and sovereignty of Afghanistan.

GRANT: There is also the ongoing question, when you are dealing with Pakistan. Exactly who is in charge here? We know that there has been a government that has been weakened. We know the military, in the past, has moved in and taken control. The military, itself, has dealt with militants keeping them very close to the military. So, the question is, who do you deal with in Pakistan?

KHANNA: Well, it is interesting. Despite all the underlying tensions between President Zardari and the Pakistani military one of the first things he said, when he come into power just about a year ago, and continues to say, is that he supports what the Pakistani military is doing. He is. in fact, a part of what has been urging them to push into the tribal areas in order to demonstrate some strength on behalf of the government, as a whole.

So, one still has to speak to the military about these issues. They still frame the underlying political and geopolitical calculus for the country. But, of course, if you want there to be a stable civilian government, we do not want there to be another coup and so on. So, there is still a very delicate balance between civilian and military authority. But when it comes to the effectiveness of stabilizing the country right now the military very much as -is very much in the driver's seat.

GRANT: Well, appreciate your thoughts. Thank you very much for appearing on the program. Parag Khanna, there, with the New America Foundation.

Well, some perspectives for you on the U.S. role in Pakistan. That is our "Prism Segment" for the day.

Now, the U.N. climate change conference in Copenhagen has opened with a challenge. A top European Union official says the U.S. and China are not prepared to go far enough in the fight against global warming. There are some 15,00 delegates from 192 countries at the conference. But Sweden's environment minister Andreas Carlgren says in the end it will all come down to what the U.S. and China plan to do about the problem.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDREAS CARLGREN, SWEDISH ENVIRONMENTAL MINISTER: The bids on the table are too low. And we still expect parties to deliver more. And that is certainly mostly about the United States and China. If they wouldn't deliver more, then we wouldn't reach the target of keeping global warming below 2 degrees.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRANT: Well, the conference also opens under something of a cloud. Phil Black joins us now, live, from Copenhagen with more on the meeting and the scandal that is come to be known as Climategate.

Phil, this has everything. It has espionage, scientific skullduggery and alleged stolen e-mails. Tell us about it.

PHIL BLACK, CNN INT'L. CORRESPONDENT: Yes, indeed, Stan.

This is the scandal that has erupted from the hacking and linking of e-mails that belong to scientists at the University of East Anglia. They have been leaked all over the Internet. And they are said to show, according to climate change skeptics, that there is some sort of conspiracy among scientists who exaggerate the threat of climate change. To fiddle with the figures, to show it to be more dangerous, more serious, than it really is.

Now, to what extent this is true has been hotly debated in the week or so leading up to this conference. As I say, it has emboldened climate change skeptics around the world who have been passionately critical of this research, of these e-mails. And they say it throws into doubt all the research that this conference is now based upon.

The view, here in Copenhagen, is well, that is not true. They say that quite simply the research of thousands of independent scientists around the world stacks up and is not in anyway influence by these e-mails. Even if this one body's research is discredited in some way, it remains one body. The global scientific consensus on climate change remains, the science is strong.

That is the word here. It was so significant and the fall out from this has been so significant that it was addressed directly in a speech by a key scientist here, during the opening ceremony today. But certainly the scientists here now, regard this whole issue as a distraction. They want to get on with the job of thrashing out a climate change deal. And they really hope that they can play a part in that process from here on in, Stan.

GRANT: Phil, thank you very much for that. Phil Black, joining us live, there from Copenhagen.

And we'll be at Copenhagen all week for the U.N. climate summit. CNN's Becky Anderson leads our team of correspondents looking at all the key issues from around the world.

Opposition members return to the streets of Tehran as a national commemoration is turned to another purpose. We'll explain about that.

And winter storms get set to sweep the U.S. We'll have the latest, plus, a look at your global weather picture. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRANT: Welcome back.

A key anniversary for Iran's Islamic Revolution provides an opportunity for opposition protestors. In Tehran demonstrators are marching despite a heavy and police and militia presence. Their re- emergence is linked to student day. It honors three young people killed by security forces in 1953. But now the target of their dissent is not the Shah, but President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Our Michael Holmes is monitoring events. He joins us live from the CNN Center.

And just how big were these protests, Michael?

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INT'L. CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Stan, that is an interesting point, because they are smaller than you might have expected, smaller than you have seen before. But I think it is significant that they are out there at all.

A lot of people say this is an evolving movement. It is not about one protest. And we have seen them almost every month now. Protestors on the streets, it is significant that they are still getting out, that this is a simmering, evolving protest. There are thousands out today. As I say, smaller than we have seen on other occasions. But making chants like, "death to the dictator, our leader is a murder, is authority has expired." And you have seen their pictures of the gate at Tehran University, where authorities locked those gates. And you see the protestors trying to force them open.

Demonstrations are also taking part in other cities, and that is significant, too. We have got other video, too, of pro-government events going on as well, in support of the government. As you said, this is all related to events that took part in 1953, but then used as an occasion, if you like, for protestors to get out on the street.

Now these videos, need to point out, we are getting from the usual sources, if you like. Foreign media not allowed on the streets. We are getting it from social networking sites, web sites set up by the opposition. Things like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. And the videos that we have been showing have been confirmed to us by our sources, but we can't independently confirm where and when they were taken.

As I say, Stan, it is significant that this event is taking place at all.

GRANT: Michael, thank you very much for bringing us up to date on that. Michael Holmes, joining us live there from CNN Center, with those protests out of Tehran.

Well a major winter storm threatens part of the U.S. The headaches have already begun. We'll have the latest, plus a look at your worldwide weather picture.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRANT: From the Southwest to the Central Plains, people across parts of the U.S. are gearing up for the first big snow of the season. The brewing storm is dumping snow and rain on California right now. It is all set to move north and east, and that has road crews across several states getting ready for the worst. Moving snow removal and deicing supplies into place.

Let's get more on that and the global weather picture from Mari Ramos, at the CNN World Weather Center.

Mari.

MARI RAMOS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hey, so much could be avoided if people would just stay home, and not go on the roads, Stan. But you know, it is going to be a mess out there. For not just people on the road, but also as we head into the air for airports across the region.

You mentioned California. Yes, already getting some rain there. But it is a couple of things that are happening.

First of all, we have this big push of cold air coming south. The temperature in Denver right now is minus 14 Celsius. We are talking about some very cold conditions here. And then, coming in from the west, is the moisture. So the combination of these two things is what is going to create these conditions that we are already starting to see across parts of California.

Saw the snow there in Sacramento, but we have rain farther to the south, in the lower elevations. The possibility of some flash flooding and maybe even mudslides in the mountainous areas. Because they had so much burn, remember, from all those fires that they had before.

The last few hours are beginning to see the moisture, also moving in, into areas of the Four Corners, here, and that is going to continue. And then the blizzard conditions are expected into some of these areas here over the mountains, west. We could see very strong winds as this area of low pressure continues to make its way through the area. And then, of course, we are going to see that heavy snowfall move into the Great Lakes region, as we head through the day on Wednesday. So this is not a one-day event.

As we get to the middle part of the week it is going to be the Eastern half of the U.S., the ones that will be effected. The rain/snow mix moving into the big cities of the Northeast. And then very heavy rain farther to the South, even the possibility of some severe weather. Slight possibility, but it is still there across portions of the Gulf Coast region.

So, messy, messy, messy, wherever you are planning to travel in the U.S. in the next couple of days. Back to you.

GRANT: Indeed, thank you, Mari. Well, that is it from me, Stan Grant in Abu Dhabi. "Eco Solutions" coming up next, just after we update the headlines.

END