Pakistan law minister speaks out over US Lahore deaths

The image “http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50997000/jpg/_50997112_011134270-1.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.


Pakistani Law Minister Babar Awan has spoken out over the case of a US man who killed two men in Lahore last week.

He said no foreign citizen was above the law.

The US embassy has called for the immediate release of Raymond Davis, saying he has diplomatic status and is immune from prosecution.

The authorities say he does not have diplomatic immunity and is not one of the foreign security personnel authorised to carry firearms.

Dr Awan said that although foreign diplomats enjoyed diplomatic immunity, "Pakistan has its own judicial system and everyone must respect it".

Magistrates have remanded Mr Davis in custody until next week while police investigate the shooting. He has been charged with the murder of the two men.

The US embassy in Islamabad has claimed diplomatic immunity on his behalf. They argue that he is a consulate employee who acted in "self-defence when confronted by two armed men on motorcycles" on 27 January.

Mr Davis is said to have told police that the motorcycle rider and his pillion passenger tried to hijack his vehicle at gunpoint.

Another person was run over and killed by a vehicle carrying Mr Davis's colleagues as they came to his aid.

Lawyers in Lahore have filed a petition to the High Court arguing that Mr Davis must stand trial in Pakistan and not be handed over to the US government.

The BBC's Syed Shoaib Hasan in Pakistan says that speculation is rife over the true position of Mr Davis.

Our correspondent says that the US authorities pursued a soft tone immediately following the incident, but they have now hardened their stance and argued that he should be released according to the Vienna Convention

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

»Surya Foundation: JHINJHOLI Sadhana Sthali BY PARAG BALI Ex TGR

Image
JHINJHOLI Sadhana Sthali Situated at Jhinjholi in Haryana, away from the hustle bustle of Delhi is the Training Centre of Surya Foundation with sprawling lawns and gardens. Aptly named SADHANA STHALI the campus resembles the ancient GURUKUL providing an ideal environment for the trainees. A Swimming Pool, Computer Laboratory, Library, facilities for Indoor and Outdoor Games, Shooting Range and many other facilities are available in the campus which attract persons of all age groups. A Naturopathy Centre offers opportunity to remain as close the nature as possible. Jhinjholi provides the right environment for learning and development. Youth Development‘Catch Them Young’ is the motto followed by Surya Foundation. Today's child is tomorrow's Bharat! The Youth Development Programme, therefore, targets young children in their formative age. Surya Foundation conducts over 1200 Personality Development Camps each year in various parts of the country, benefiting about 25,000 youths. Na...
Read more

Obama calls for Congress to end oil, gas subsidies

Image
The proposal opened up the president to Republican criticism that the move will not do much to lower the price of gas at the pump. hid With his re-election fate increasingly tied to the price that Americans are paying at the gas pump, President Obama on Thursday called on Congress to end $4 billion in subsidies for oil and gas companies and vowed to tackle the country's long-term energy issues while shunning "phony election-year promises about lower gas prices." Obama, in an appearance at Nashua Community College in New Hampshire, took a page out of his jobs strategy, calling on Americans to contact their representatives and demand a vote on the oil subsidies. But the president insisted that lawmakers should vote in the next few weeks to repeal the oil industry's $4 billion federal subsidies, a demand he has made several times over the past three years. Ending the "industry giv...
Read more

US-North Korean Nuclear Deal Gets Cautious Welcome in Asia

Image
North Korea's decision to suspend its testing of nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missiles is being cautiously welcomed in Asia, where many residents remember a history of broken promises. U.S. and North Korean officials simultaneously announced the breakthrough Wednesday, saying Pyongyang will also halt other nuclear activities, including uranium enrichment. The United States, meanwhile, says it will push ahead on a plan to provide 240,000 metric tons of U.S. food assistance to the North. Japan's Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba said Thursday in Tokyo that the deal also provides for the return to North Korea of inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency. "They [North Korea] have said they agree to let the IAEA surveillance team return. They have also promised to take steps toward denuclearization and stopped the launch of short range missiles - these are significant accomplishments being made," he said. The Japanese foreign minister desc...
Read more