Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Sunday Morning
Pakistan's President Tries to Balance Support for U.S. and Hard-Liners' Pressure
Aired September 23, 2001 - 10:02 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Pakistan's president walking a tightrope. He's trying to balance his support for the U.S. war against terrorism, this against pressure from hard lined Muslims who support the Taliban. For the latest in Pakistan, in Islamabad, the capitol, here's CNN's Christiane Amanpour -- Christiane.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, indeed, the decision of the Pakistani government to stand with the United States is causing some controversy among some segments of society, notably the hard line Islamic party leaders. There was one other protest in Pakistan today.
Earlier I had said that it was in Quetta but in fact, I wrong. It is near Peshawar, which is on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. In any event, there was flag burning, anti-American slogans. But for the most part, these demonstrations have not spun out of control. And this is a point of significant comfort to the Pakistani government, which had been afraid that these Islamic hard line leaders who manage to call out nationwide protest.
Now, in terms of the sanctions being lifted, Pakistan saying that it welcomes that because it definitely needs some help at this particular moment of crisis, some economic help. And they are looking forward to now getting economic investment and being able to somewhat revive a very, very faltering economy.
The Pakistani people are also hoping that this time when they stand beside the United States, the United States will use this as opening a new chapter in Pakistani-U.S. relations.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
AMANPOUR (voice-over): Naziur Ahmed (ph) is too poor to own a barber shop. At his street side stand, he and his customer, Shahed (ph), tell us what they think of the terrorists who killed nearly 7,000 American civilians.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): This is very wrong. This was not done in the name of Islam. It was done to give Islam a bad name.
AMANPOUR: Pakistan, like so many other Islamic countries, have a love-hate relationship with America. Poverty, political powerlessness, religion and tradition live alongside pervasive American pop culture, films and fast food and the promise of freedom and prosperity.
(on-camera): What do you think, in general, when you think of America, that the culture is good or...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, culture is good and we want to visit America.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I want to visit. I want to meet the people of America. What is their thinking about human rights? What is their thinking about terrorism?
AMANPOUR: Because of the current crisis, there is stepped security even on the roads leading to the American embassy. And officials there are not handing out tourist visas these days. But usually, at embassies around the Muslim world, there are long lines of visa seekers looking for the American dream.
(voice-over): But scratch the surface just a little and you quickly see the dream has a dark side.
America is like a mad elephant, says Mohammad the juice seller. America only cares about her own interests.
During the Cold War, America poured money and military equipment into Pakistan. But since then, it lost interest and Pakistanis feel betrayed. They are also enraged at the plight of Muslims around the world. The same man who wants to visit the United States is furious at what he calls America's double standards.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When there is terrorism in other countries, like Kashmir, like Palestine, like Chechnya, America just do nothing.
AMANPOUR: Around the Islamic world, hard line extremists use that anger to fire up their foot soldiers. But for most of the world, one billion Muslims, resentment can never justify the ruthlessness that the radicals brought on the United States.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): What happened is bad. It should not have happened. May Allah set everything right.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
AMANPOUR: Now these people tell us that if Osama Bin Laden is proved to have done what America accuses his organization of doing, then definitely he should be punished. And on that note, there was a news flash out of Afghanistan today, the Islamic Afghan News Agency saying that the Taliban had tried to find Osama Bin Laden, to deliver the edict that he should be asked to leave the country. They say they can't find him, Bill.
HEMMER: Christiane Amanpour where night has fallen in Islamabad on the streets of the Pakistani capitol. Thanks to you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
