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| India-Pakistan |
| Pakistan rebuffs call for US gunman's quick release |
| 2011-01-30 |
| [Dawn] In a clear about-turn on the status of the American charged with murder of two motorcyclists in Lahore, the United States on Saturday claimed that the accused was a diplomat and demanded his immediate release. The latest American statement was indubitably different from the one released by the embassy on Friday describing the accused Raymond Davis as "a staff member of the US Consulate General in Lahore", which though ambiguous, but was clearly short of declaring him as a diplomat. More importantly, the Friday statement had come at a time when media was discussing the status of the accused and was taken by many as a corroboration of the claims that Davis wasn't a diplomat and hence had no diplomatic immunity. The latest (Saturday) media release came a day after hectic diplomatic activity apparently failed to yield any result. The Foreign Office looks to have also hardened its stance on the matter. Spokesman Abdul Basit called for respecting the legal process. "This matter is sub judice and the legal process should be respected," he emphasised in a message evidently directed at the Americans. Mr Davis is being described by the American media as a security contractor from a Florida-based firm, Hyperion Protective Consultants, LLC. That Foreign Office and the US embassy were not on the same page on the issue of status of the accused was obvious from an FO blurb that mentioned Davis as a US 'functionary', and not a diplomat. The latest U-turn in American position clearly fits in with the business principles of Hyperion Protective Consultants. Their website says that the personnel provided to the customer (US State Department in this case) are hired as the customer's employees. As such the "legal liabilities reside with the business contracting the service". The US embassy statement set aside all diplomatese and not only accused the host government of 'unlawfully detaining' its 'diplomat', but criticised the remand of the accused given by a judicial magistrate. "Furthermore, the diplomat was formally jugged and remanded into custody, which is a violation of international norms and the Vienna Convention, to which Pakistain is a signatory," the embassy statement noted. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #3 I'll take "Informant Meetings Gone Bad" for $500, Alex. Likely the Paks want to send a message. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2011-01-30 20:48 |
| #2 Stop all payments. Today |
| Posted by: Frank G 2011-01-30 20:09 |
| #1 I think he's a hero for pop'n the paki thugs. I expect an investigation but just don't sell out our guy, Hilary! |
| Posted by: Uleatch Dribble8106 2011-01-30 18:16 |