DATE=5/28/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249945
TITLE=PAK NUCLEAR CELEBRATIONS (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=SARAH HORNER
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: PAKISTAN HAS ENTHUSIASTICALLY CELEBRATED THE FIRST
ANNIVERSARY OF ITS NUCLEAR TESTS (FRIDAY), JUST ONE DAY AFTER
DOWNING TWO INDIAN JETS ALONG THE TENSE KASHMIR BORDER. SARAH
HORNER HAS DETAILS FROM ISLAMABAD.
TEXT:
/// SFX: MUSIC AND SOUND OF DEMONSTRATION, IN AND UNDER ///
CLOSE TO THE PAKISTANI CAPITAL, ISLAMABAD, AT A CROSSROADS ON THE
MAIN THOROUGHFARE LEADING TO THE AIRPORT IS A SITE GUARANTEED TO
CATCH THE EYE. PAKISTANI AUTHORITIES HAVE BUILT A 10-METER-HIGH
MODEL OF THE CHAGAI HILLS, THE SITE IN THE SOUTHWESTERN PART OF
THE COUNTRY WHERE PAKISTAN CARRIED OUT ITS NUCLEAR TESTS LAST
YEAR.
THE HASTILY-CONSTRUCTED MONUMENT SHOWS THE HILLS WHICH CHANGED
FROM DARK-BROWN TO DARK YELLOW AFTER THE BLASTS. (THE STRUCTURE
WILL REMAIN A PERMANENT FEATURE AFTER THE CELEBRATIONS END.) ON
FRIDAY EVENING, HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE GATHERED THERE AFTER DRIVING
DOWN ROADS FESTOONED WITH COLORED BANNERS AND PORTRAITS OF
PAKISTAN'S "NUCLEAR HEROES" -- INCLUDING THE SCIENTISTS AND
ENGINEERS BEHIND PAKISTAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM.
PAKISTAN CARRIED OUT ITS NUCLEAR TESTS LAST MAY IN RESPONSE TO
SIMILAR TESTS BY INDIA TWO WEEKS EARLIER. PAKISTANI FOREIGN
MINISTER SARTAJ AZIZ SAYS THE BLASTS GAVE THE COUNTRY THE
CONFIDENCE THAT IT COULD DEAL WITH INDIA ON AN EQUAL FOOTING.
//// AZIZ ACT ///
IT ALSO GIVES US THE ASSURANCE THAT WITH A STRONG
DETERRENCE IN OUR HANDS WE CAN DEAL WITH SUCH CRISES
WITH GREATER CONFIDENCE AS WE ARE DOING RIGHT NOW (IN
KASHMIR). IT IS SOMETHING WHICH IS NOT TO CELEBRATE
THE ACQUISITION OF A DESTRUCTIVE WEAPON, BUT THE
SECURITY ASSURANCES THAT PAKISTAN WAS ABLE TO GET AFTER
50 YEARS OF UNCERTAINTY AND INSECURITY, SINCE OUR
CREATION.
/// END ACT ///
BUT, NOT EVERYONE IS HAPPY ABOUT PAKISTAN'S NUCLEAR CAPABILITY.
ONE MAN, WHO DOES NOT WANT TO BE NAMED, SAYS PAKISTAN SHOULD
SPEND ITS MONEY ON MORE IMPORTANT SOCIAL PROBLEMS.
/// VOX-POP ACT ///
I PERSONALLY AM NOT IN FAVOR OF A NUCLEAR BLAST AT
ALL. I AM AGAINST IT BECAUSE IT STARTED A NUCLEAR RACE
IN INDO-PAKISTAN, THE SUB-CONTINENT, WHICH IS NOT GOOD
FOR THE HUMAN BEING. WE ARE A VERY POOR NATION. A LOT
OF PEOPLE, THEY LIVE BELOW POVERTY AND WE ARE SPENDING
ON AN ARMS RACE. THAT DEPRIVES PEOPLE FROM EDUCATION,
FROM A GOOD LIFE. A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN NOT EVEN GET
DRINKING WATER.
/// END ACT ///
IN THE END, FRIDAY'S CELEBRATIONS WERE OVER-SHADOWED BY THIS
WEEK'S EVENTS ALONG THE DISPUTED KASHMIR BORDER BETWEEN INDIA AND
PAKISTAN. INDIA IS CONTINUING AIRSTRIKES AGAINST ARMED MUSLIM
INSURGENTS ON ITS SIDE OF THE BORDER. THURSDAY, PAKISTAN SHOT
DOWN TWO INDIAN FIGHTER JETS, IN THE MOST SERIOUS INCIDENT
BETWEEN THE TWO SOUTH ASIAN NEIGHBORS IN MORE THAN A DECADE.
(SIGNED)
NEB/SLH/WTW
28-May-99 5:42 PM EDT (2142 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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