Pakistan summons US envoy over biker's death involving American diplomat
Pakistan on Sunday summoned US Ambassador David Hale to register "a strong protest" against the killing of a Pakistani citizen by a US official in a road accident in Islamabad. A fast-moving Land Cruiser, driven by Col Joseph Emanuel Hall, the defense and air attaché at US embassy, jumped the red light and hit a motorcycle carrying two men at a traffic signal yesterday.
Motorcyclist dead; pillion rider suffered injuries
Motorcyclist, identified as Atiq Baig, 22, died due to a head injury while the pillion rider and his cousin Raheel Ahmed suffered injuries. "The US ambassador was called to Foreign Affairs Ministry today and a strong protest was lodged...on tragic death of motorcyclist and serious injury to the co-rider in the traffic accident yesterday that involved a US diplomat," Pakistan's Foreign Office said.
US expressed deep sympathy and sadness over loss of life
The Foreign Office said the US ambassador expressed his deep sympathy and sadness over the loss of life and assured the embassy would fully cooperate in the investigation. The foreign secretary conveyed that justice will take its course in accordance with the law of the land and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961. US Embassy also expressed its deep sympathy to their family.
Diplomat tried to flee away after accident
According to Dawn, the diplomat had tried to speed away after the accident, but he was stopped at a nearby checkpoint, where police tried to question him. The area police arrived at the scene and asked the driver to surrender himself. Shortly, several locals and foreigners arrived there on different vehicles and introduced themselves as officials of the US embassy.
Diplomat had immunity due to Vienna Convention
The diplomat asked the police to clear the way as he had diplomatic immunity, police said, adding that when they refused, the officials put up resistance. Senior policemen then visited the spot and took the defense attaché and his vehicle to the Kohsar police station. Police asked the other US diplomats to submit written statements about the accident and diplomatic status of the suspect.
Diplomat was not arrested due to diplomatic immunity
The US diplomat was later allowed to leave. The police, however, impounded the vehicle and took the diplomat's cards for verification. A case was registered against the diplomat on the complaint of the victim father, who is a watchman at an Islamabad school. The deceased's family has demanded justice after the diplomat was not arrested as he enjoyed immunity under international laws.
People showed their anguish against favorable treatment to US diplomat
Several people took to social media to protest against the favorable treatment given to the US diplomat. The police responded in a blog stating that they followed the due legal procedure and the attaché had diplomatic immunity granted by the government of Pakistan as per Vienna Convention. "If a blogger has objections they may approach Pakistan government to withdraw from Vienna Convention," police added.
This incident was compared with 2011 incident
Incident is being compared with the 2011 incident when a CIA contractor Raymond Davis was arrested in Lahore on charges of killing two Pakistani citizens. It kicked off a huge diplomatic crisis between the two countries. Pakistani authorities had charged him with murder, but the Obama administration insisted he is an "administrative and technical official" attached to its Lahore consulate and has diplomatic immunity.
US Ambassador allowed to leave country
US Ambassador David Hale was later allowed to leave the country after a compromise was reached with the victims' family. This is the third road accident in recent years in which US diplomats have hit and killed people in Islamabad, the Islamabad police said, adding that they got away with it because they had diplomatic immunity due to Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961.
