DATE=8/17/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-237214
TITLE=PAKISTAN EVACUATION (L-OVERNIGHT)
BYLINE=DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: IN PAKISTAN MOST U-S EMBASSY PERSONNEL ARE LEAVING AMID
SECURITY CONCERNS, BUT MANY PRIVATE AMERICANS SAY THEY WILL STAY
FOR THE TIME BEING. VOA CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN REPORTS
THE DEVELOPMENT FOLLOWS THE ARREST OF A SUSPECT IN THE U-S
EMBASSY BOMBINGS IN EAST AFRICA.
TEXT: THE U-S STATE DEPARTMENT HAS ORDERED THE PULL-OUT OF MANY
AMERICAN STAFF CITING, WHAT IT CALLS, SERIOUS INDICATIONS OF A
THREAT TO U-S FACILITIES AND CITIZENS.
THERE ARE ALSO THOUSANDS OF PRIVATE AMERICANS WORKING AND LIVING
IN PAKISTAN AND THE U-S EMBASSY HELD A BRIEFING FOR SOME OF THEM
AT A U-S CENTER IN ISLAMABAD. PEOPLE ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
PERCEIVED THREAT TO AMERICANS AND WAYS TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY ON
SHORT NOTICE.
BUT AFTER THE DISCUSSION MANY AMERICANS SAID THEY SAW NO NEED
TO LEAVE PAKISTAN AT THIS TIME. BARBARA SALEEM, WHOSE HUSBAND
WORKS WITH AN OIL COMPANY, SAYS SHE WILL NEED MORE INFORMATION
BEFORE MAKING A MOVE.
// SALEEM ACT //
I HAVE NO FEELINGS YET. I MEAN IT'S TOO SOON. WE ARE
NOT GETTING ALL THE INFORMATION YET. SO UNTIL WE GET
MORE INFORMATION IS WHEN I WILL KNOW WHAT TO DO. AND AS
FAR AS I KNOW WE'RE STAYING HERE.
// END ACT //
MRS. SALEEM SAYS SHE HAS BEEN IN AREAS OF TENSION BEFORE. SHE
SAYS SHE WAS LIVING ABROAD DURING THE GULF WAR.
SUSAN CARL, A PHOTOGRAPHER WITH A GROUP CALLED THE INDEPENDENT
BUREAU FOR HUMANITARIAN ISSUES, IS ALSO STAYING IN PAKISTAN.
HOWEVER, SHE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE COUNTRY COULD BECOME DANGEROUS
IN TIMES OF TENSION.
// CARL ACT //
I THINK THAT SOMETHING VERY BAD COULD HAPPEN HERE. IT'S
VERY POSSIBLE. I THINK THAT THERE COULD BE A BACKLASH IF
ANYTHING HAPPENS WITH BIN LADEN.
// END ACT //
OSAMA BIN LADEN IS A SAUDI MILITANT CONSIDERED BY WESTERN EXPERTS
TO BE ONE OF THE WORLD'S MAJOR SPONSORS OF TERRORISM. HE HAS
DECLARED A HOLY WAR ON THE UNITED STATES AND IS BELIEVED TO BE
STAYING IN AFGHANISTAN. MUCH ATTENTION HAS FOCUSED ON MR. BIN
LADEN IN THE WAKE OF THE U-S EMBASSY BOMBINGS IN AFRICA.
SECURITY OFFICIALS DESCRIBE PAKISTAN AS A HIGH-THREAT COUNTRY AND
THERE HAS BEEN SELECTED VIOLENCE AGAINST AMERICANS HERE IN THE
RECENT PAST. LAST NOVEMBER SEVERAL AMERICAN BUSINESSMEN IN
KARACHI WERE SHOT TO DEATH IN A CAR AND IN 1995 TWO AMERICAN
CONSULAR EMPLOYEES WERE GUNNED DOWN ON THEIR WAY TO WORK.
(SIGNED)
NEB/DB/LTD/KL
17-Aug-98 1:39 PM EDT (1739 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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