News

DATE=8/4/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-218074
TITLE=PAK / U-S (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=MEREDITH BUEL
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  PAKISTAN PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF HAS STRONGLY 
CONDEMNED THE REPORTED REMARKS OF A U-S PROSECUTOR INVOLVED IN 
THE TRIAL OF AIMAL KANSI.  MR. KANSI IS THE PRIME SUSPECT IN THE 
KILLING OF TWO CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY OFFICIALS.  AS V-O-A 
ISLAMABAD CORRESPONDENT MEREDITH BUEL REPORTS, SECURITY HAS BEEN 
TIGHTENED AT U-S OFFICES THROUGHOUT PAKISTAN.

TEXT: NEWSPAPERS IN PAKISTAN HAVE WIDELY REPORTED A STATE 
PROSECUTOR IN THE KANSI CASE MADE DEROGATORY REMARKS ABOUT THE 
PEOPLE OF PAKISTAN DURING A TELEVISION INTERVIEW IN THE UNITED 
STATES.

ACCORDING TO A TRANSCRIPT PROVIDED BY THE PAKISTANI EMBASSY IN 
WASHINGTON, THE CHIEF PROSECUTOR FOR FAIRFAX COUNTY IN THE U-S 
STATE OF VIRGINIA SAID THE UNITED STATES DID  NOT  HAVE TO OFFER 
A TWO-MILLION-DOLLAR REWARD TO CAPTURE MR. KANSI.

ACCORDING TO THE TRANSCRIPT, THE PROSECUTOR -- ROBERT HORAN -- 
REFERRING TO WESTERN PAKISTAN AND SOUTHERN AFGHANISTAN, SAID 

QUOTE: "THIS IS NOT A HIGH-INCOME AREA.  I AM SURE THE PEOPLE 
OVER THERE WILL TURN IN THEIR MOTHERS FOR 20-THOUSAND -- NOT 
ALONE TWO-MILLION."

V-O-A CONTACTED MR. HORAN AT HIS OFFICE IN THE UNITED STATES AND 
HE SAID THE QUOTE WAS TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT.  HE DENIED 
SPECIFICALLY LINKING THE STATEMENT TO THE PEOPLE OF PAKISTAN.  
WHEN ASKED IF HE WOULD APOLOGIZE FOR THE STATEMENT, MR. HORAN 
SAID ... QUOTE ... I AM NOT A DIPLOMAT; I AM A CRIMINAL 
PROSECUTOR."

THE ATTORNEY'S  REMARKS WERE ON THE FRONT PAGE OF MOST NEWSPAPERS
IN PAKISTAN MONDAY AND HAVE PROMPTED WIDESPREAD CONDEMNATION FROM
OFFICIALS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

IN AN INTERVIEW WITH PAKISTAN TELEVISION, PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ 
SHARIF CALLED THE STATEMENT SHOCKING AND SHAMEFUL.

         // SHARIF ACT IN URDU THEN UNDER TRANSLATOR //

         IT IS A VERY UNCIVILIZED STATEMENT AND HIS STATEMENT IS 
         FAR BELOW THE HUMAN VALUES -- AND WE CONDEMN THAT 
         STATEMENT.  NOT ONLY I, BUT THE WHOLE NATION CONDEMNS 
         IT.  HE HAS NO RIGHT TO ISSUE THESE SORT OF STATEMENTS 
         AND WE VOICE STRONG PROTEST OVER THE  STATEMENT.  WE ARE
         SHOCKED AND IT IS SHAMEFUL AND I THINK THAT THE FEELINGS
         OF THE WHOLE PAKISTANI NATION, INCLUDING MYSELF, ARE 
         HURT AND FEEL RIGHT AND JUSTIFIED TO EXPRESS OUR 
         FEELINGS IN THIS REGARD.

                          // END ACT //

AIMAL KANSI WAS CAPTURED IN PAKISTAN IN JUNE AND RETURNED TO THE 
UNITED STATES FOR TRIAL IN CONNECTION WITH A JANUARY 1993 
SHOOTING OUTSIDE THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY HEADQUARTERS IN 
LANGLEY, VIRGINIA. 

MR. KANSI'S CAPTURE WAS VERY CONTROVERSIAL AND THE PROSECUTOR'S 
REMARKS HAVE FUELED MORE CRITICISM OF THE UNITED STATES AND 
PAKISTANI OFFICIALS WHO COOPERATED WITH U-S LAW ENFORCEMENT 
AUTHORITIES.

THE LATEST INCIDENT PROMPTED A PROTEST AT THE AMERICAN CONSULATE 
IN LAHORE.  ABOUT 30 PROTESTERS THREW BRICKS INTO THE COMPOUND 
AND CARRIED SIGNS SAYING "WE DON'T SELL OUR MOTHERS."  

IN KARACHI ,PROTESTERS REPORTEDLY BURNED THE AMERICAN FLAG AND 
EFFIGIES OF PRESIDENT CLINTON.

U-S OFFICIALS IN ISLAMABAD HAVE ORDERED INCREASED SECURITY AT  
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT OFFICES.  ROADBLOCKS AND ADDITIONAL POLICE 
HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED ON STREETS LEADING TO THE U-S EMBASSY IN 
ISLAMABAD.

PAKISTAN HAS LODGED A FORMAL PROTEST WITH THE U-S GOVERNMENT. THE
AMERICAN AMBASSADOR TO PAKISTAN -- THOMAS SIMONS -- WAS CALLED TO
THE FOREIGN MINISTRY, WHERE THE OFFICIAL PROTEST WAS DISCUSSED.

ACCORDING TO A FOREIGN MINISTRY STATEMENT, THE U-S STATE 
DEPARTMENT HAS EXPRESSED ITS SINCERE REGRETS ABOUT THE REPORTED 
REMARKS AND EMPHASIZED THEY DO  NOT  REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE 
GOVERNMENT OR THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES. (SIGNED)

NEB/MB/TMD/RRM

04-Aug-97 11:04 AM EDT (1504 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.