DATE=        JANUARY 14, 1999
TYPE=        EDITORIAL
NUMBER=      0-08145
TITLE=       EDITORIAL:  TERRORISM IN PAKISTAN

CONTENT=THIS IS THE THIRD OF THREE EDITORIALS BEING RELEASED FOR 
BROADCAST JANUARY 14, 1999.

ANNCR:
THE VOICE OF AMERICA PRESENTS DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW ON A WIDE 
VARIETY OF ISSUES.  NEXT, AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF
THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.

VOICE:

    TWO SEPARATE TERRORIST ACTS CLAIMED MORE THAN A SCORE OF 
LIVES THIS MONTH IN PAKISTAN.  ON JANUARY 4TH, SEVENTEEN SHIA 
WORSHIPERS WERE SHOT TO DEATH AT A MOSQUE IN THE SMALL TOWN OF 
KARAM-DAD QUERESHI IN PUNJAB PROVINCE.  THE DEAD INCLUDED THREE 
CHILDREN.  MANY OTHER PEOPLE WERE WOUNDED.  THE TERRORISTS ARE 
THOUGHT TO BE MEMBERS OF AN EXTREMIST SUNNI MUSLIM GROUP.  
HUNDREDS OF PAKISTANIS HAVE BEEN KILLED IN SECTARIAN ATTACKS OVER
THE LAST TWO YEARS.  VICTIMS INCLUDE BOTH SHIA AND SUNNI MUSLIMS,
AS WELL AS CHRISTIANS, HINDUS AND AHMADIS.

    ON JANUARY 3RD, ALSO IN PUNJAB PROVINCE, AN APPARENT 
ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT WAS MADE AGAINST PAKISTANI PRIME MINISTER 
NAWAZ SHARIF.  NEAR LAHORE, A BOMB EXPLODED ON A BRIDGE THAT MR. 
SHARIF WAS EXPECTED TO CROSS.  BUT HE AND HIS FAMILY WERE STILL 
AT HOME BECAUSE OF A DELAY.  FOUR PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND SEVERAL 
OTHERS WERE WOUNDED.

    THE UNITED STATES CONDEMNS THESE ACTS OF TERRORISM.  AS IN A 
NUMBER OF COUNTRIES, TERRORISM IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM IN PAKISTAN. 
TERRORISM WAS DISCUSSED AT LENGTH WHEN PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON AND
PRIME MINISTER SHARIF MET LAST MONTH AT THE WHITE HOUSE.  THE 
U.S. AND PAKISTAN ARE COMMITTED TO WORKING TOGETHER TO FIGHT THIS
MENACE.

    AS PRESIDENT CLINTON SAID AT LAST FALL'S SESSION OF THE 
UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY, ALL COUNTRIES MUST PUT THE FIGHT
AGAINST TERRORISM AT THE TOP OF THEIR AGENDA.  WHEN IT COMES TO 
TERRORISM, THERE SHOULD BE NO DIVIDING LINE BETWEEN RELIGIONS OR 
SOCIETIES.  "THE ONLY DIVIDING LINE," SAID PRESIDENT CLINTON, "IS
BETWEEN THOSE WHO PRACTICE, SUPPORT OR TOLERATE TERROR, AND THOSE
WHO UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS MURDER, PLAIN AND SIMPLE."

ANNCR:

    THAT WAS AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE U.S. 
GOVERNMENT.  IF YOU HAVE A COMMENT, PLEASE WRITE TO EDITORIALS, 
V-O-A, WASHINGTON, D-C, 20547, U-S-A.  YOU MAY ALSO COMMENT AT 
WWW-DOT-VOA-DOT-GOV-SLASH-EDITORIALS, OR  FAX US AT (202) 
619-1043.

13-Jan-99 3:13 PM EST (2013 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.