Man dies as US diplomat rams vehicle into motorcycle in Islamabad

[Abdullah719]

A motorcyclist in Islamabad was killed in a road accident on Saturday after being hit by a vehicle reportedly driven by the military attaché of United States.

According to DawnNewsTV, Col Joseph Emanuel was driving a white SUV when he hit Ateeq and Raheel travelling on a motorbike. Resultantly, Ateeq died on the spot while Raheel suffered serious injuries and has been shifted to nearby hospital.

Police didn’t attempt to arrest the military attaché since he holds diplomatic immunity; however, they have shifted the US embassy’s vehicle to Kohsar police station.

The US diplomat reportedly misbehaved with the police and left the police station in another vehicle.

An FIR has been registered on the complaint of the victim's father under Section 320, 337, 279 and 427 at Kohsar police station. The report states that the incident happened due to the negligence of US diplomat.

In 2011, US consulate employee Raymond Davis had shot two Pakistani men in what he said was self-defence in a market area in Lahore.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1400162/man-dies-as-us-diplomat-rams-vehicle-into-motorcycle-in-islamabad

 

[Varun]

Just imagine if it was the other way around: a Pakistani diplomat wrecking lives in the USA. Would he be spared?

 

[cricketjoshila]

Just imagine if it was the other way around: a Pakistani diplomat wrecking lives in the USA. Would he be spared?

With diplomatic immunity. Yes.

 

[DoosraTeesra]

Just imagine if it was the other way around: a Pakistani diplomat wrecking lives in the USA. Would he be spared?

he would be declared persona non grata and deported

 

[Madplayer]

Deport this American killer

 

[AssassinatedDevil]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Just saw the footage of an accident in Islamabad where an US ambassador broke traffic law & killed an innocent Pakistani , News saying he is exempted & can’t be arrested &#55358;&#56596;&#55357;&#56839;, who made this rule ??? Condolences to his family , <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/justice?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#justice</a></p>— Mohammad Hafeez (@MHafeez22) <a href="https://twitter.com/MHafeez22/status/982701353041580032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[WildSwing]

Just imagine if it was the other way around: a Pakistani diplomat wrecking lives in the USA. Would he be spared?

Yes, he would be spared, he would be declared as persona non grata and sent back to pakistan but he will be spared, it's called diplomatic immunity.

 

[shah_1]

UN needs to change this diplomatic immunity for bigger crimes like manslaughter, rape and murder.

 

[hadi123]

The Foreign Office on Sunday summoned US Ambassador to Pakistan 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 day earlier, a fast-moving SUV, said to be driven by Col Joseph Emanuel Hall — the defence and air attaché at the US embassy in Islamabad — jumped the lights and hit a motorcycle carrying two men at a traffic signal. As a result, a man, Atiq Baig, died due to a head injury and his cousin Raheel Ahmed suffered injuries.

"The US ambassador was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a strong protest was lodged by Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua on the tragic death of the motorcyclist and serious injury to the co-rider in the traffic accident on Saturday that involved a US diplomat," read the press release issued on Sunday by the FO.

"The envoy expressed his deep sympathy and sadness over the loss of life and assured that the embassy would fully cooperate in the investigation," the statement added.

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".

Baig, 22, was buried on Sunday. A large number of friends, family and area residents participated in the funeral prayers but no government official or prominent political figure was present.

According to the deceased’s uncle, his nephew was a BA student working at a hotel to make money on the side.

Saturday's incident took place in the afternoon on the foothills of the Margallas near the zoo.

Police said that the driver had tried to speed away following the accident but he was stopped at a nearby checkpoint, where police tried to question him.

He, however, refused to get off from the vehicle — a white Land Cruiser.

The area police arrived at the scene and asked the diver to surrender himself. Shortly after, several locals and foreigners arrived on different vehicles and introduced themselves as officials of the US embassy.

Senior policemen then took the defence attaché and his vehicle, as well as a colleague, to the Kohsar police station. They asked the other US diplomats to submit written statements about the incident and the diplomatic status of the suspect. Later, the driver was allowed to leave.

The police, however, impounded the vehicle and took the diplomat’s cards for verification.

Subsequently, a case was registered against the driver under Sections 279 (Rash driving or riding on a public way), 320 (Punishment for manslaughter by rash or negligent driving), 337-G (Punishment for hurt by rash or negligent driving) and 427 (Mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The case was registered on the complaint of victim Baig’s father, who is a watchman at an Islamabad school.

Several people took to social media to protest against the favourable treatment given to the US diplomat. The police responded in a blog, stating that the accident had taken place at the Damn-i-Koh traffic signal on Margalla Road.

The police 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 on handing over of the diplomat to the embassy, he/she may approach the government of Pakistan to withdraw from Vienna Convention,” read the blog posted by the Capital City police.

This is the third road accident in recent years in which US diplomats have hit and killed people in Islamabad, the capital city police said, adding that they got away with it because they had diplomatic immunity.

In July 2010, a US embassy officer attached to the embassy’s Force Protection Department, hit and killed a young man driving a motorcycle on the 7th Avenue.

In February 2013, an administrative assistant at the US embassy hit two motorcyclists with his Land Cruiser near Kohsar Complex at Margalla Avenue. A man was killed and another was injured in the accident.

In November 2010, a member of the US Regional Affairs Office hit another embassy’s vehicle causing damage to both vehicles at Shahrah-i-Jamhuriat near Radio Pakistan.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1400341/f...biker-in-accident-involving-american-diplomat

 

[Varun]

The Foreign Office on Sunday summoned US Ambassador to Pakistan David Hale to register "a strong protest" against the killing of a Pakistani citizen by a US official in a road accident in Islamabad.

And sadly, I suspect that will be the end of this saga - this supposed "strong protest".

 

[cricketjoshila]

Pak govt can tighten screws and get the man some compensation.

 

[Major]

Diplomatic immunity.

Its funny how all the pakistanis are going crazy and crying that its US. Could had been any country or any one in the world. If you are a diplomat you enjoy immunity.

Stupid stuff from Hafeez

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I hope our judiciary will provide justice to the man who was killed in this car accident by the American diplomat.<br>Law should be equal for everyone <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Shoaibakhtar?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Shoaibakhtar</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/humanity?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#humanity</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/justice?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#justice</a> <a href="https://t.co/7w7fdvOuIl">pic.twitter.com/7w7fdvOuIl</a></p>— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) <a href="https://twitter.com/shoaib100mph/status/982924154012708864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
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[OoparCut]

Tragic.

 

[www787]

So diplomats are allowed to commit involuntary manslaughter? What about Volunteer manslaughter, do they still get immunity?

If that is true then why do they need agent, just send out your diplomats to kill the dictator and change the regime.

 

[cricketjoshila]

So diplomats are allowed to commit involuntary manslaughter? What about Volunteer manslaughter, do they still get immunity?

If that is true then why do they need agent, just send out your diplomats to kill the dictator and change the regime.

Diplomatic Immunity is absolute. Pakistan though can ask it to be waived.

What your diplomat will do somewhere, that country's diplomat can do in Pakistan.

Diplomats have escaped with heinous crimes.

 

[Yossarian]

Diplomatic immunity.

Its funny how all the pakistanis are going crazy and crying that its US. Could had been any country or any one in the world. If you are a diplomat you enjoy immunity.

Stupid stuff from Hafeez

I'm betting that if it was a Pakistani diplomat (or one from another 3rd world country) the US govt. would have 'persuaded' the Pakistani govt. to waive his diplomatic immunity.

 

[Gubol123]

I'm betting that if it was a Pakistani diplomat (or one from another 3rd world country) the US govt. would have 'persuaded' the Pakistani govt. to waive his diplomatic immunity.

of course, even Pak will try to do the same now..

 

[The intelligent Supporter]

Horrible!

At least in the footage, it does not seem that either vehicle is travelling too fast. Strange how much indirect collision ( not head on) at slow speed was enough to kill a person. Especially as they are seen rolling over to disperse the impact.

 

[DeadBall]

Horrible!

At least in the footage, it does not seem that either vehicle is travelling too fast. Strange how much indirect collision ( not head on) at slow speed was enough to kill a person. Especially as they are seen rolling over to disperse the impact.

If you can see, the car accelerated all of a sudden and the light was still red. Maybe they can blame it on some sudden terrorist threat.

 

[MenInG]

https://www.dawn.com/news/1400592/process-under-way-to-put-us-diplomat-on-ecl

ISLAMABAD: The interior ministry has started the process to put a US diplomat on the Exit Control List (ECL), sources told Dawn.

Inspector General of Police Dr Sultan Azam Temuri told Dawn that a written request was sent to the ministry on Monday seeking the name of the American diplomat on the ECL.

The capital police informed the ministry that the diplomat was booked on criminal charges, including murder by mistake or rash or negligent driving. The presence of the diplomat is necessary for investigation.

The director general Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) also confirmed that arrangements were made to prevent the diplomat from leaving the country, Dr Temuri stated.

The diplomat has valid licence issued by the Islamabad Traffic Police, the IGP stated. The police were considering canceling the licence and a directive in this regard would be issued to the ITP, he said.

US Defence and Air Attaché Col Joseph Emanuel Hall jumped a red signal at Damn-i-Koh Chowk and hit a motorcycle. As a result, two motorcycle riders suffered injuries and later one of them – Atiq Baig – died.

The pillion rider, Raheel Ahmed, suffered multiple injuries, including fractures. He was being treated at a hospital.

A CCTV footage of the Safe City Project showed that the diplomat drove a white Land Cruiser at a high speed and violated the red signal and hit the motorcycle, the police stated, adding the footage also showed that the diplomat neither applied break nor tried to save the motorcyclists.

Sources in the immigration department on condition of anonymity said, “so far the US diplomat has not left the country.”

Subdivisional Police Officer Secretariat ASP Zohaib Nasarullah Ranjha told Dawn that the US diplomat had made an attempt to travel abroad on a Middle East-bound Qatar Airway. He reached the airport at 4am on Sunday but left from there after seeing officials of the capital police there, he added.

Investigating officer of the case, Inspector Arshad Ali, from the homicide unit said the investigation of the case was being finalsed. The investigators have so far collected statements of eyewitnesses, the injured victim and the accused, he added.

The police are waiting for the medico-legal report of the deceased and the injured to finalise the investigation and challan, the IO stated.

 

[DW44]

So diplomats are allowed to commit involuntary manslaughter? What about Volunteer manslaughter, do they still get immunity?

If that is true then why do they need agent, just send out your diplomats to kill the dictator and change the regime.

Forget manslaughter, immunity covers premeditated murder. The Burmese ambassador to Sri Lanka a few years ago burnt his wife alive on the grounds of his residence, in plain view of various onlookers, and walked away untouched.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Diplomatic immunity.

Its funny how all the pakistanis are going crazy and crying that its US. Could had been any country or any one in the world. If you are a diplomat you enjoy immunity.

Stupid stuff from Hafeez

Well imagine if it had been a member of your family who got run over. Would you be telling everyone to stop crying or going crazy then? Diplomatic immunity remember?

 

[Bewal Express]

If this a PK diplomat in America, the narrative would be that these Moslems dont value human life and dont respect our laws, and many would also see this as some sort of terrorist act.

 

[sensible-indian-fan]

This guy has to be punished. Somehow.

There must be someway out.

This is crazy.

Today i must have read atleast 3 news pieces that has made my blood boil.

 

[MenInG]

ISLAMABAD: The US diplomat, who reportedly rammed into a motorcycle, killing one and injuring another on Saturday, will have to face trial, either in Pakistan or his home country.

In case the US embassy confirms that the accused has diplomatic immunity against trial here, he could be tried in US courts.

Talking to Dawn, a senior police officer said a case was registered for the crime and that there is therefore no doubt that a trial will be conducted. The diplomat has immunity regarding arrest and detention, but not against trial. He said it was up to the US embassy to decide if the trial will be conducted by the local courts or those in his native country.

Embassy to confirm if trial will be held here or in US, senior police officials say

Senior police officials Dawn talked to said that as per the legal proceeding, the police completed the case registration and submitted it to the Pakistan Foreign Office, which will forward the same to the US embassy in Islamabad. The embassy will in turn decide where the trial will be held.

The foreign office can also declare the diplomat persona non-grata and ask him to leave the country, they said.

However, it was noted that the capital police bypassed the laid down procedure and gave relaxation to the accused when he was taken to the Kohsar police station after the accident on Margalla Road.

According to the procedure, immunity has to be claimed.

An arrested diplomat has to show his immunity card to the police, who will relay the matter to the Foreign Office.

The Foreign Office would have to intimate the embassy in question, the ambassador of which has to claim immunity for the diplomat on the official letter head. After receiving the same, the Foreign Office then has to intimate the interior ministry, which will tell the police to let the concerned diplomat go.

Other officials told Dawn the US diplomat was let go without following this procedure and that the police claims they received verbal confirmation from the Foreign Office. The police do not have the required paperwork in this regard.

They said the accident happened on a Saturday when most offices are closed and that the procedure of letting the diplomat go should have taken till Monday if properly followed. The accused would therefore have to be detained till Monday, which would not have been in violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961.

Sub-divisional Police Officer Secretariat Assistant Superintendent of Police Zohaib Nasrullah Ranjha said the charge sheet will be submitted to the Pakistan Foreign Office for further legal action, including a court trial against the diplomat.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1400830/u...er-biker-in-islamabad-will-have-to-face-trial

 

[giri26]

US defers decision on restrictions for Pakistani diplomats

WASHINGTON: The United States has delayed its decision to restrict the movement of Pakistani diplomats in America as both countries try to resolve the differences that have strained their relations, official sources told Dawn.

Last week, a spokesman for ******tan’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs confirmed that the United States planned to impose new restrictions on its diplomats. Recent reports in the Pakistani media suggest that the US government has already alerted Pakistani authorities of its plan to do so.

According to a notification sent to the Pakistan Embassy in Washington, ******tani diplomats in the US capital and at consulates in other cities would be barred from travelling more than 40 kilometres from their posts without prior permission.

Media reports said the restrictions could take effect as early as May 1, unless “certain issues” were resolved before that.

But official sources told Dawn that the decision had now been delayed, at least till mid-May, as both sides were engaged in efforts to remove their differences.

The efforts focus on some recent developments in Islamabad where US diplomats and visitors to US Embassy and consulates are facing additional security measures.

Pakistan has prevented foreigners, inclu*ding diplomats, from travelling to certain areas, such as Fata. Karachi and some areas of Balochistan have also been added to the list following continued militant attacks on both Pakistani and foreign targets.

Visitors to the US missions in Pakistan also have to go through strict security and identification routines. Pakistan argues that such measures aim at enhancing the security of foreign missions and their employees and have no other motive.

But Americans appear particularly upset with a new practice, applying the same security measures to those invited by the US missions or diplomats to their offices and homes.

Previously, such guests only had to go through metal detection devices and a quick frisking to ensure they were not carrying weapons. They were not asked to show identity papers or disclose the purpose of their visit, as they are now.

Americans complain that sometimes Pakistanis working for the US Embassy and consulates also face unnecessary interrogation, as do the embassy’s guests.

Dawn learned from its sources that the Pakistan Embassy in Washington has conveyed US concerns on these issues to Islamabad, with a caveat that if continued, such practices could do a major harm to bilateral relations. The embassy also has requested officials in Islamabad “to sit with the US Embassy and resolve the issue because it will have far-reaching consequences”, an official source told Dawn.

The Pakistan Embassy warned that a US decision to limit the movement of Pakistani diplomats would generate “much negative propaganda against Pakistan across the globe. It will also have an adverse impact on the Pakistani American community”.

The embassy fears that the proposed restriction will push Pakistan in the category of countries like Iran and Cuba which are seen in Washington as America’s enemies. “The embassy wants Islamabad to avoid that situation,” the source said.

Pakistani diplomats, in private conversation, point out that the US-Pakistan relationship is not as bad as the restrictions, if imposed, will indicate.

Despite recent tensions, Pakistan and the US still cooperate in a number of important areas, including defence, and the embassy wants this cooperation to continue. “The relationship is far, far better than such a step (imposing restriction) would suggest,” said a US observer.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1404728/us-defers-decision-on-restrictions-for-pakistani-diplomats

 

[MenInG]

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday ruled that a United States diplomat, who was involved in a traffic accident that led to the death of a youth in the capital, does not have absolute immunity.

On April 7, US Defence and Air Attaché Col Joseph Emanuel Hall jumped a red light at Daman-i-Koh Chowk and hit a motorcycle. As a result, two riders of the bike suffered injuries and one of them, 22-year-old Ateeq Baig, later died.

Col Hall had escaped arrest because of diplomatic immunity but a first information report (FIR) regarding the incident was registered with Kohsar Police Station.

Ruling on a petition of the deceased man's father, Justice Aamer Farooq ruled that the diplomat does not have absolute immunity.

In the verdict that was reserved on Monday and announced today, the court has ordered the interior ministry to decide about placing Col Hall's name on the Exit Control List (ECL) within two weeks.

Mohammad Idrees, Ateeq's father, had filed a petition through his counsel Shahzad Akbar for placement of the diplomat's name on ECL. CCTV footage of the Safe City Project shows the diplomat driving a white land cruiser at a high speed and hitting the motorcycle after violating the red signal.

On April 24, the interior ministry had informed the court that in order to restrict the movement of Col Hall, his name had been placed on the blacklist of the directorate of immigration.

In his concluding arguments on Monday, the counsel had argued before Justice Farooq that “absolute immunity of diplomats may defeat citizens’ trust in the justice system”.

He said if rights of citizens are not upheld and an innocent person is deprived of their life, a chaotic situation arises in which citizens will have no trust in the criminal justice system.

“Where there is no such trust in any given society, the criminal justice system becomes inadequate.”

The counsel contended that under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961, there was a diplomatic ‘immunity’, not ‘impunity’.

Diplomatic immunity is not intended to serve as a licence for persons to flout the law and purposely avoid liability for their actions, he argued.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1407021/u...ident-doesnt-have-absolute-immunity-ihc-rules

 

[DeadBall]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Pakistan blocks US diplomat from leaving after fatal crash <a href="https://t.co/591CMtATgw">https://t.co/591CMtATgw</a></p>— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/BBCNews/status/995424349346770950?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[cricketjoshila]

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday ruled that a United States diplomat, who was involved in a traffic accident that led to the death of a youth in the capital, does not have absolute immunity.

On April 7, US Defence and Air Attaché Col Joseph Emanuel Hall jumped a red light at Daman-i-Koh Chowk and hit a motorcycle. As a result, two riders of the bike suffered injuries and one of them, 22-year-old Ateeq Baig, later died.

Col Hall had escaped arrest because of diplomatic immunity but a first information report (FIR) regarding the incident was registered with Kohsar Police Station.

Ruling on a petition of the deceased man's father, Justice Aamer Farooq ruled that the diplomat does not have absolute immunity.

In the verdict that was reserved on Monday and announced today, the court has ordered the interior ministry to decide about placing Col Hall's name on the Exit Control List (ECL) within two weeks.

Mohammad Idrees, Ateeq's father, had filed a petition through his counsel Shahzad Akbar for placement of the diplomat's name on ECL. CCTV footage of the Safe City Project shows the diplomat driving a white land cruiser at a high speed and hitting the motorcycle after violating the red signal.

On April 24, the interior ministry had informed the court that in order to restrict the movement of Col Hall, his name had been placed on the blacklist of the directorate of immigration.

In his concluding arguments on Monday, the counsel had argued before Justice Farooq that “absolute immunity of diplomats may defeat citizens’ trust in the justice system”.

He said if rights of citizens are not upheld and an innocent person is deprived of their life, a chaotic situation arises in which citizens will have no trust in the criminal justice system.

“Where there is no such trust in any given society, the criminal justice system becomes inadequate.”

The counsel contended that under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961, there was a diplomatic ‘immunity’, not ‘impunity’.

Diplomatic immunity is not intended to serve as a licence for persons to flout the law and purposely avoid liability for their actions, he argued.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1407021/u...ident-doesnt-have-absolute-immunity-ihc-rules

The immunity is absolute. If Pakistan has given him diplomatic accredation then they have little option but to let him go else they will be held for violation of Vienna Convention and every pakistani diplomat around the world will be in the line of fire and their diplomatic immunity may not be respected.

Can the IHC decide on matters of international treaties?

 

[www787]

The immunity is absolute. If Pakistan has given him diplomatic accredation then they have little option but to let him go else they will be held for violation of Vienna Convention and every pakistani diplomat around the world will be in the line of fire and their diplomatic immunity may not be respected.

Can the IHC decide on matters of international treaties?

I understand about Immunity but negligence shouldn’t be part of immunity.

Weird law. Had the similar incident taken place in western world then I can say for certain South Asian diplomats would be forced to hire a local lawyer.

 

[blackanhyellow]

The immunity is absolute. If Pakistan has given him diplomatic accredation then they have little option but to let him go else they will be held for violation of Vienna Convention and every pakistani diplomat around the world will be in the line of fire and their diplomatic immunity may not be respected.

Can the IHC decide on matters of international treaties?

Havent really been following this case so I dont know if I should comment.

But diplomatic immunity has different levels.

Only the higher up officials and their families have full diplomatic immunity. Lower levels only have functional immunity.

If he is a lower level official then he may not have absolute immunity. He would only have functional immunity for crimes committed during his official duties.

Regardless, Pakistani authorities are just making a big fuss out of it to calm people down. Once this blows over they will let the guy go. Pakistan cant afford other countries targeting their diplomats because of this.

 

[Saeed]

Good decision, no one should be above the law. But as usual Pakistani authorities are all talk, they will most likely let this tosspot murderer go without punishment. Diplomatic immunity paves the way for diplomats to abuse local laws. This convention needs to be amended if not revoked.

 

[PakLFC]

Another chance for Pak authorities to prove their mettle. This guy must not walk away like Raymond Davis did.

 

[UN talkz]

ISLAMABAD: US defe*nce attaché Col Joseph Hall involved in a fatal road accident was on Saturday stopped from flying out on an American military aircraft by the Federal Inves*tigation Agency (FIA).

Col Hall had reached Nur Khan Air Base for boarding the aircraft that had come to take him but was not allowed to leave, an official said.

The US Air Force C-130 flew into Islamabad at 11.15am from Bagram airbase in Afghanistan. Col Hall accompanied by around eight people from the embassy reached the air base around five minutes later for boarding the aircraft.

The FIA officer on duty after finding out that it was Col Hall, held back his passport and sought directions from his high-ups, according to a source. The permission for Col Hall to leave was not granted and the special aircraft returned to Bagram at around 4pm.

American Air Force plane came from Bagram airbase in Afghanistan to take Col Hall who is involved in accident in which one Pakistani died

The diplomat later returned to the embassy. A US Embassy spokesman refused to comment on the matter.

Col Hall last month ran a red light, killing a motorcyclist Ateeq Baig, 22.

Electronic media virtually gave wall-to-wall coverage for over two hours to the US attempt to get Col Hall out of the country after the news broke that a special military aircraft had reached Islamabad to take him.

The Islamabad High Court had a day earlier turned down a petition by Ateeq’s father seeking a direction for the government to put the diplomat’s name on the Exit Control List. The court, however, asked the government to decide within two weeks whether or not Col Hall should be placed on the ECL. The judge also noted that Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations provides immunity from arrest and detention to diplomats.

The Foreign Office has already written to the US State Department for withdrawal of his immunity. The matter was also discussed during the last visit of US official Alice Wells. But, so far there has been no progress.

Hotline mechanism

In a related development, Pakistan’s Ambassador to US Aizaz Ahmad Chaud*hary said that Pakistan and the United States had established a hotline-like mechanism in Islamabad to redress the grievances that led to unprecedented diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

The mechanism includes a senior official — director general US — from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a senior diplomat from the US Embassy in Islamabad.

“It works 24/7, as somebody is always monitoring the hotline,” said Mr Chaudhary. “The idea is, whenever an incident involving a US diplomat happens anywhere in the country, it should be reported immediately to these people, so that they could resolve it.”

On Friday, Islamabad placed restrictions on US diplomats in Pakistan, as Washington imposed similar curbs on Pakistani diplomats in the US. The restrictions confine the diplomats and their families within the cities they are posted at. Pakistan also withdrew “special facilities” provided to US diplomats.

Apparently, two recent traffic accidents in Islamabad, involving US diplomats further strained already tense relations between the US and Pakistan. A US Embassy security officer, Taimur Peerzada, was briefly arrested when he went to help a US diplomat involved in the second accident.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1407355/us-diplomats-bid-to-fly-out-of-pakistan-foiled

 

[Sidilicious]

Surely, this diplomatic immunity is only in the country where they are residing.

The perpetrator of the crime should have to face the same charges in his own country. Or does the diplomat escape charges in the residing nation and his own?

 

[cricketjoshila]

I understand about Immunity but negligence shouldn’t be part of immunity.

Weird law. Had the similar incident taken place in western world then I can say for certain South Asian diplomats would be forced to hire a local lawyer.

Only the sending country can waive off the immunity. Pakistan can ask USA to do so.

South asian diplomats too get away with crimes in West. If a country violates diplomatic immunity then it is also open to reciprocal reprisals by the other country.

 

[cricketjoshila]

Havent really been following this case so I dont know if I should comment.

But diplomatic immunity has different levels.

Only the higher up officials and their families have full diplomatic immunity. Lower levels only have functional immunity.

If he is a lower level official then he may not have absolute immunity. He would only have functional immunity for crimes committed during his official duties.

Regardless, Pakistani authorities are just making a big fuss out of it to calm people down. Once this blows over they will let the guy go. Pakistan cant afford other countries targeting their diplomats because of this.

It all depends on what accredation Pakistan gave him. If it was diplomatic immunity its absolute. If it was consular immunity then immunity exists only for the official works.

But Pakistan has already accepted its diplomatic immunity.

 

[cricketjoshila]

Seems the guy has left pakistan.

 

[BlackShadow]

Sad, but we should understand Pakistan's helplessness in these matters.

 

[Varun]

The so called major non-NATO ally certainly has some collateral which the US is dependent on. It should exercise such right now if it really wants something to happen.

 

[PakLFC]

I would like to think that the government and military must have bargained well with the American's. Pak will never tell what they received for letting him go.

 

[DeadBall]

Col Joseph Hall will face trial in the US, FO assures

US Defence and Air Attaché Col Joseph Emanuel Hall, who ran over a biker in Islamabad, will be tried in the United States, the Foreign Office said on Thursday in an attempt to explain his sudden departure from Pakistan.

FO Spokesperson Dr Faisal, while answering a question in his weekly briefing, said that the diplomat could not have been tried in Pakistan because of his diplomatic immunity and was allowed to leave on the assurance that he would be tried in his home country, Radio Pakistan reported.

On April 7, Col Hall had jumped a red light at the Daman-i-Koh Chowk in Islamabad and hit a motorcycle. As a result, two riders of the motorcycle had suffered injuries, and one of them, 22-year-old Ateeq Baig, had later expired from the trauma.

Col Hall had initially avoided arrest because of his diplomatic immunity, but a first information report (FIR) regarding the incident had been registered at the Kohsar Police Station.

He left Pakistan earlier this week, days after the Islamabad High Court ruled that the US diplomat did not have "absolute immunity".

The FO spokesperson today also confirmed that travel restrictions on American diplomats in Pakistan and Pakistani diplomats in US were now in place with both now requiring prior permission to travel beyond 25 miles of where they are stationed.

He also regretted that Moneeza Hashmi, a daughter of Faiz Ahmad Faiz, was not allowed to address an event in India despite being invited as a guest speaker.

He reiterated that Pakistan believes in a two-state solution of the Palestine dispute in accordance with UN resolutions and informed that Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will be attending the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit in Turkey to discuss the Israeli attack on Palestinian protesters in Gaza that killed 60.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1408273/col-joseph-hall-will-face-trial-in-the-us-fo-assures