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American Morning

America Strikes Back: Interview of Mamuddin Shaikh

Aired October 08, 2001 - 09:02   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: We want to take you now to Pakistan, Afghanistan's neighbor. These strikes have triggered anti-American protests, some of them even violent.

CNN's Nic Robertson in Islamabad, where protesters and police have clashed.

Nic, what's the latest?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, there have been some protests here, but before I talk about the protests, a little the Taliban ambassador, who came out and spoke a few hours ago here. He said that the attack on Afghanistan was illegal. He said it was a terrorist activity. He also said that some missiles inside capital of Kabul had fallen on a civilian housing area. He said that 20 women, children, and old people had been killed.

But he went on to hit a theme that Taliban have often talked about in recent past, about the United States; he said the United States was essentially not attacking the terrorist camps in Afghanistan, but attacking Muslims in Afghanistan, and thereby Muslims around the world.

He also said that America was going after its own interests in Afghanistan, and by doing that, trying to shed the blood of innocent Afghans in doing that. He warned of very severe consequences if the United States continued.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABDUL SALAM ZAEEF, TALIBAN AMBASSADOR TO PAKISTAN: If the Americans are on the assumption that by shedding the blood of the poor Afghans life will be made easy for them, and they will take advantage out of this, I think they have the wrong assumption in this respect. To the best of my knowledge, the consequences are very severe. And the consequences are so severe that no one could determine it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: The Taliban also claim that they have shot down three American aircraft, though this claim has been laid to rest from Washington, from the Pentagon, that this just didn't happen. Also, the Taliban had claimed as well they shot down a United States helicopter with 14 men on board; this also has been denied. The demonstrations today in Pakistan have been very vocal. They have been very angry. They have brought people out on the streets not only here in capital, Islamabad, but also in southern port city Karachi, in Lahore, and in other cities around country.

I'm joined by Pakistan's former ambassador to Washington, Mamuddin Shaikh.

Sir, how do you judge these demonstrations today?

MAMUDDIN SHAIKH, FORMER PAKISTAN AMBASSADOR TO UNITED STATES: I think that we have three sets of demonstrations to talk about. The first are on first Friday after the Friday congregation prayers; the second Friday; and now, after the attack. And on each occasion, what appeared to me was the fact that the intensity had diminished, rather than increased. I say this rather tentatively because I don't know what will happen after there is damage assessment, and whether the claims the Taliban ambassador has made turn out to be true or not with regard to civilian casualty.

But at the moment, I think the situation is entirely controllable and well within what the administration should initially look at.

ROBERTSON: Should the government be concerned, however, that this could get worse?

SHAIKH: I think it depends. I don't think that the general populace will emerge unless it is seen that innocent civilians have died and innocent properties have been destroyed. Until then, I think there will be a degree of concern, but that degree of concern will not convert itself into outward manifestations by real demonstrations.

ROBERTSON: Ambassador, thank you very much.

So the outlook for these demonstrations, perhaps, is not to get worse. The government has them under control. Gen. Musharraf today in an address to the international press corps. tried to explain some of the reasons for this. He laid out for the people of Pakistan that these attacks were not against Afghans, not against the cities, but against terrorist targets inside Afghanistan.

Back to you.

ZAHN: Nic, thanks so much for that update.

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