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CNN LIVE EVENT/SPECIAL

America Strikes Back: Pakistan Police Prepare for Protests

Aired October 12, 2001 - 05:10   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.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: We've got CNN's Rebecca MacKinnon on the telephone positioned from Pashawar, which is in Pakistan but near the Afghan border. She can talk about these demonstrations -- Rebecca, how serious is the situation from where you stand?

REBECCA MACKINNON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (by telephone): Well, the coming hours are really going to be the litmus test. It's now 2:00 on Friday afternoon here in Pakistan. Afternoon prayers are just finishing and here in Pashawar, not far from the Afghan border, there are several demonstrations planned. Before afternoon prayers even started there were demonstrations in major cities around the country, a demonstration in Quetta. This is south on another part of the border. Also some minor demonstrations in Islamabad.

And, as you mentioned earlier, in Karachi, the most violent demonstrations took place. An American fast food outlet was burned and also the car of the mayor in that city.

So the Pakistani government is calling for calm. It is telling people that they have the right to demonstrate peacefully, but violence will not be permitted. The police have been gearing up for today. This is the first Friday, which is a day of rest and prayer in the Muslim world, the first Friday since the air strikes began in Afghanistan and the extent of the demonstrations and whether or not they turn violent will be a big litmus test for the extent to which there is either support or opposition to the Pakistani government's support of the U.S. air strikes against Afghanistan -- back to you.

LIN: Rebecca, Pakistan President General Musharraf said that if the police could not control these violent demonstrations that he would bring in the military. He has brought in the military. What are the rules of engagement here? Are these troops being told that they could open fire if these crowds remain uncontrolled?

MACKINNON: Well, I spoke to a government official here just yesterday and he said that the government is determined to do whatever it takes to protect life and property and keep protesters from taking things out of hand. The police are also on the lookout for Afghan refugees. The government has issued a warning to people who have come recently across the border from Afghanistan who may still sympathize with the Taliban that they are not allowed to participate in any demonstrations and if they do so, they will be deported.

LIN: Rebecca, do you see troops on the street right now? MACKINNON: On the street right now we do not. However, there are certainly a lot of police on the street corners. There are some areas, government buildings are heavily guarded at this time. We do understand that police reserve forces have been deployed. Earlier today, there were some water cannon sort of riot police and so forth deployed around a demonstration. None of it was used.

So we're just going to have to see how things develop. It's really up to the demonstrators at this point.

LIN: All right, we'll see what happens and what develops.

Thank you very much, Rebecca MacKinnon, reporting live from Pashawar. All the more significant now that American troops are beginning to base themselves out of Pakistan.

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