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CNN Sunday Morning

Anti-American Protests Show Increase in Violence

Aired October 14, 2001 - 11:06   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.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Inside and outside of Pakistan, anti-American protests are moving forward, but with less demonstrators, and more violence. CNN's Christiane Amanpour has been monitoring the situation from Islamabad, Pakistan. She joins us now with the latest there -- Christiane.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the latest of those daily demonstrations comes just ahead of the visit of the visit of the U.S. Secretary of States Colin Powell. And certainly, the Pakistani government, the foreign minister told us that they want to hear an assessment from the United States. Powell will be the highest level U.S. official to visit here since this crisis began September 11.

They want to know what is the prognosis, in the words of the foreign minister, for the prosecution of this war.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABDUL SATTAR, PAKISTANI FOREIGN MINISTER: In the first place, we would like to hear from this soldier statesman his assessment of the situation after 10 days of military action in Afghanistan. Secondly, we would like to hear from him what's the prognosis, how long is this operation going to go on? And do we see light at the end of the tunnel? And what is it that needs to be done in order to win this operation to a close?

I think that you will appreciate that the concerns of our people are rising. Sympathy for innocent victims of military attacks against -- in Afghanistan and especially the killing of innocent people there is as spontaneous and natural as was our solidarity with the American people after the September 11 attacks in New York and Washington.

So we like also to clear this to Secretary of State Powell when he's here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AMANPOUR: So obviously, these civilian casualties, the reports of which have been reaching Pakistan and elsewhere in the Islamic world, they do tend to inflame passions here. There have been daily demonstrations. And there was another one today, demonstrators trying to get to the city of Jacobabad and, in fact, trying to get to the military base there. That's a base that Pakistan has put at the disposal of U.S. forces. Pakistan confirming that they will not permit U.S. military operations to be launched against Afghanistan from here. But they say, they are committed to logistical support and to allowing the U.S. search and rescue operations in the future.

In any event, we are being told by police and medical sources that perhaps one person was killed in Jacobabad, as the police tried to keep them away from the town and from that military base, and that others were injured -- Martin.

SAVIDGE: Christiane, is there a concern on the part of the Pakistani government about the Northern Alliance perhaps using these military strikes by the U.S. to capitalize and try to gain territory? That is something Pakistan no necessarily comfortable with?

AMANPOUR: Well, they've made it very clear that they don't want a non-friendly government to be installed in Afghanistan, not friendly to Pakistan, that is. They also take note that the Northern Alliance has not moved across those front lines. They have moved their positions in any significant form or fashion since this war began. And they've made it very clear to the United States that they want a say in any future political situation in Afghanistan, and it must be one that is not just made up of the Northern Alliance, but one that takes into account all Afghanistan's demographic groups.

Obviously, therefore, with the representation for the majority there, which are the Pashtuns, which are the ones that have the most significant ethnic affinity with Pakistan -- Martin.

SAVIDGE: CNN's Christiane Amanpour, live in Pakistan. Thank you very much.

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