Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Saturday

Taliban Tries to Determine Origin of Downed Unmanned Spy Plane

Aired September 22, 2001 - 16:03   ET

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

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: In Afghanistan, the Taliban are trying to determine the origin of the downed spy plane. Joining us now from Quetta, in Pakistan, along the border with Afghanistan, is CNN's Nic Robertson.

Nic, tell us what's going on.

NIC ROBERTSON: Well, Wolf, reports from Afghanistan who -- CNN staff members who've remained in Afghanistan -- local Afghans listening to the radio station -- the National Shari'ah Radio -- tell us that that drone was flying at four kilometers height, when it was shot down. Government sources there saying it was shot down by a ground-to-air missile.

But here in Pakistan there were demonstrations here again today. It has to be said, however, that the numbers turning out for these demonstrations were far fewer than on Friday. As more demonstrations have been called for the coming days, these demonstrations being called for by Islamic clerics, who are opposed to General Pervez Musharraf's backing of the United States and their quest to combat terrorism.

The clerics also have been battling against General Musharraf since he came to power two years ago. They've been angered about a lot of social reforms he's been making that go against the forms of Islam that they believe in. The analysts here say that because turnouts in these protests has been quite low. That is a good sign for General Musharraf at this time. However, they do say that if the United States was to launch an attack on Afghanistan, the demonstrations could become much bigger -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Nic, how worried -- do you sense that the Pakistani government, from President Musharraf on down -- how worried are they, according to the indications you're getting about this opposition -- the protests on the streets in Pakistan?

ROBERTSON: Well, they're not taking any changes. They certainly increased the security. They certainly have had more police out, in readiness for any demonstrations that have happened. It is a concern to the government because, obviously, a popular uprising against them is a very, very dangerous thing. President Musharraf came in in a bloodless coup two years ago, and he has yet to restore to the nation, at a national level, a Western-style democracy. So this would be a very problematic thing for him in the future. However, at the moment, it's not -- it's not at such a level that it will cause any problems. There are many, many people, in Pakistan, who back General Musharraf. There are many middle class people who've been concerned about the growing Islamization (ph) of Pakistan, or some of the more fundamentalist groups growing in power, and growing in popularity. And many people here would see this as an opportunity for President Musharraf to try and deal with this groups, once and for all, and to put the country back on, perhaps, a more middle-stream track, then heading toward a more fundamentalist Islamic-type country -- Wolfe.

BLITZER: Nic Robertson, in Quetta, Pakistan, along the border with Afghanistan. Thank you, once again, for your good reporting.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com