Raymond Davis Case: Developing Story

[Areesh]

Here are some ramifications for Pakistan:

Thanks for informing us. But still NO. The matter is in the courts of Pakistan and we can't do anything for the mercenary until the court gives its verdict.

 

[Developereo]

In alll honesty, stoping aid to Pakistan would be the best thing to have ever happened to Pakistan and also in the best interest of the U.S.

Pakistan would finally be able to stand on it's feet and start taxing every facet of it's society equally and raise it's revenues substantially.

Nah.

Government of Pakistan will just switch from one teat (USA) to another (Saudi Arabia).

The only hope for Pakistan is if the aid donors demand accountability from the Pakistani government because the Pakistani public sure is powerless to do so. The system is completely controlled by the feudal/industrial/military elite who will never relinquish their special privileges voluntarily.

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

In alll honesty, stoping aid to Pakistan would be the best thing to have ever happened to Pakistan and also in the best interest of the U.S.

Pakistan would finally be able to stand on it's feet and start taxing every facet of it's society equally and raise it's revenues substantially.

The US can funnel that aid money for it's own debt elimination and economic revival. Too many people have lost their jobs here and too many are going too loose their jobs in the near future. Many major states, including NY, are loosing teachers, firefighters, cops and other civil employees, pension cuts and payscale downgrade is the talk of the town.

I serously think the aid should stop, it's in the best interest of both, Pakistani and American people.

I agree with this.

Aid is a "crutch", that prevents a person from standing up on their own.

Also... the aid that America gives, is no where near enough to compensate Pakistan for the WoT.

 

[Nothing]

Nah.

Government of Pakistan will just switch from one teat (USA) to another (Saudi Arabia).

The only hope for Pakistan is if the aid donors demand accountability from the Pakistani government because the Pakistani public sure is powerless to do so. The system is completely controlled by the feudal/industrial/military elite who will never relinquish their special privileges voluntarily.

Agree with you.... in current situation aid is necessary for GOP.
1. to get infrastructure in place ( mostly damaged by flood )
2. to keep deficit in check and control inflation
3. good relation with USA means more FDI and more business for Pakistan
4. still majority of PAF is dependent on USA for spare parts and for weapons ..
5. PA need funding to get rid of TTP from Pakistan...
6. IMF is forcing GOP in correct direction for economic reform..once that pressure will go away GOP will keep printing money for need and inflation will go sky high..
7. USA is supporting many power projects in Pakistan which is need for hour ...


its just like I am paying you .. so you have to take my ******

 

[Areesh]

ISLAMABAD: In an interesting twist to the Lahore double murder involving a US ‘diplomatic official’, prosecutors have recommended that an espionage case be also registered against him, sources said on Tuesday.

Raymond Davis is already facing charges for killing two Pakistani motorcyclists in a busy marketplace of Lahore on January 27.

“Keeping in view the nature of the case it is strongly recommended that a case of espionage be registered against Davis,” the prosecution branch of the Punjab police has written in an official letter to the investigation branch.

“During the course of investigation, police retrieved photographs of some sensitive areas and defence installations from Davis’ camera,” a source told The Express Tribune requesting anonymity. “Photos of the strategic Balahisar Fort, the headquarters of the paramilitary Frontier Corps in Peshawar and of Pakistan Army’s bunkers on the Eastern border with India were found in the camera,” the source added.

The police had recovered a digital camera, a Glock pistol and a phone tracker along with a charger from Davis after his arrest. The Punjab government considers Davis a security risk after the recovery of the photos of sensitive installations, said the source.

The Obama administration has been pressuring Pakistan to release Davis who, according to it, “is a member of the administrative and technical staff of the mission” and therefore enjoys diplomatic immunity under the Vienna Convention.

“But Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has told American diplomats that the matter is sub judice and only the Lahore High Court (LHC) would decide whether or not Davis was entitled to diplomatic immunity,” an official source told The Express Tribune.

Sharif made the statement at a recent meeting with the US diplomats who sought Davis’ immediate release.

Citing a letter written by Interior Minister Rehman Malik to the Punjab government, the diplomats said that Davis had diplomatic immunity.

Sharif, however, denied his government had received any letter from the interior minister, according to the sources. Sharif advised the diplomats to wait for the LHC ruling on the diplomatic status of Davis.

A security official told The Express Tribune that Davis’ name did not figure on a list of US diplomats presented by the American embassy to the ministry of foreign affairs on Jan 25. But interestingly, his name figured prominently on another list submitted by the embassy to the ministry on Jan 28.

Diplomatic source told The Express Tribune that the foreign ministry’s viewpoint would be presented before the LHC whenever asked by the court.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 9th, 2011.

Davis may also face espionage charge

 

[Solomon2]

If you repeat this reasoning in front of a judge, you will be ejected from court.

That's the desired outcome, because the court has no jurisdiction here. That's what diplomatic immunity means. It isn't something granted on a case-by-case basis.

the right thing for the US to do is to waive such immunity so that the rule of law can take its course.

Hardly. The only people who would benefit by the U.S. waiving immunity would be the a$$holes in the FO who screwed everything up. Given the hyped-up mood in Pakistan it would be like throwing a bound man to wolves, yes? Pakistan isn't a country that can boast of the fairness of its legal due processes right now.

The decision is up to the United States. Does it stand for rule of law, or does it hold its officials above the law?

Diplomatic immunity is the rule-of-law. The Lahore judge who ordered Davis held could cite no applicable legal basis for doing so. There is no basis for a court deciding diplomatic immunity, it is an administrative decision and not a judicial one.

 

[JonAsad]

This is not terrorist equipment this is standard equipment for the US Democracy Standards Diplomatic Norms.

You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all the people all the time.

Huh--
Whats your source of this rubbish claim-- Standard diplomatic equipment?
A supposed member of "technical and administrative staff" cannot carry illegal firearms and that much fire power--

 

[Developereo]

That's the desired outcome, because the court has no jurisdiction here. That's what diplomatic immunity means. It isn't something granted on a case-by-case basis.

Hardly. The only people who would benefit by the U.S. waiving immunity would be the a$$holes in the FO who screwed everything up. Given the hyped-up mood in Pakistan it would be like throwing a bound man to wolves, yes? Pakistan isn't a country that can boast of the fairness of its legal due processes right now.

Diplomatic immunity is the rule-of-law. The Lahore judge who ordered Davis held could cite no applicable legal basis for doing so. There is no basis for a court deciding diplomatic immunity, it is an administrative decision and not a judicial one.

Once again you are avoiding the issue and deflecting debate.

The central issue is the double murder, not diplomatic immunity. The whole debate about diplomatic immunity is a canard. Even if Davis is covered by such immunity, the right thing for the US to do is to waive it so that he can face the rule of law on the double murder charge, based purely on evidence, just like any other person would in similar circumstances.

The fact that the US is harping on diplomatic immunity and refusing to waive it pre-emptively shows its contempt for rule of law and is an arrogant assertion that its officials are above the law in host countries.

If the situation were reversed and a Pakistani diplomat shot two Americans in the back, do you really think the US would let the guy walk free?

 

[Awesome]

The article does not back up what you claim, Asim. Yes, there will be a pre-trial hearing, however:

1) Nath is not in prison and it is a civil case so in my opinion the question of immunity of his person doesn't exist now and is unlikely to arise.

2) While Nath was served I don't think his presence at the hearing can be enforced, just as police can give a diplomat a parking ticket but can't compel him to pay.

3) The State Department is reviewing his diplomatic immunity to this proceeding, not the courts.

Obviously there won't be an exact script, but precedent has been set by the US courts DECIDING upon immunity. That too Diplomatic Immunity.

In Davis' case, the 1st case will establish whether or not he is Raymond Davis. This hearing is on the 17th of Feb. If he is lying about being Raymond Davis then the question of immunity doesn't even arise.

 

[Awesome]

US denies suspending all high-level dialogue with Pakistan

Islamabad, Feb 9(ANI): The United States has denied reports that it has put all bilateral contacts with Pakistan on hold until Islamabad releases double murder-accused US diplomat Raymond Davis.

“We continue contact with Pakistan to express the importance of resolving the case of a U.S. diplomat in accordance with international law,” US Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs Philip J. Crowley wrote on micro-blogging site Twitter.

Crowley’s tweet came hours after media reports that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had cancelled a meeting last weekend with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi at an international security conference in Munich to protest the arrested US diplomat's detention.

It was also reported that the dispute could affect three major events planned this year- President Asif Ali Zardari’s visit to Washington, the next round of US-Pakistan strategic dialogue and the trilateral talks involving Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States later this month.

In a press briefing also, when asked whether there had been ‘any slowdown on sort of contacts at a lower level, because this issue remains unresolved,’ Crowley said the United States “continues to have contacts” with the Pakistan Government.

“We continue to express to them the importance of resolving this. And we continue to express to them the fact that our U.S. diplomat has diplomatic immunity and should be released,” he added.

Crowley pointed out that “Secretary had a discussion with General Kayani on the margins of the Munich Security Conference. Ambassador Munter talked to President Zardari today. The Secretary talked to President Zardari last week. So we continue to have contacts with our Pakistani counterparts, and we continue to emphasize the importance of resolving this case.”

 

[Awesome]

Raymond Davis case: Police findings to be made public – The Express Tribune

The complete challan along with the investigation report in the Qurtaba Chowk shooting case involving US citizen Raymond Davis will be submitted in the court on February 11.

This was stated by Law minister Rana Sanaullah at the Punjab Assembly cafeteria on Tuesday. He was talking to the media following a meeting with clerics of different sects to discuss the security arrangements for the Eid-e-Miladun Nabi.

He said the provincial government was handling the case in accordance with the Criminal Procedures Code. He said once the investigation was complete Davis would be sent to jail.

He said the federal government and the US consulate had yet to respond to provincial government’s letters. He said the consulate had been asked to hand over the vehicle and the driver responsible for Ibadur Rehman’s death minutes after Davis had shot dead two people on January 27. The letter addressed to the federal government a week ago sought to place Davis’s name on the exit control list, he said.
Sanaullah said the government would be forced to submit the challan without US consulate’s account if the latter failed to surrender the vehicle and its driver. This, he said, was likely to create more problems rather than help the US consulate’s interests. He said the capital city police officer was supervising the investigation. The investigation report, he said, would be shared with the media on February 11 after it was submitted in the court. He said investigators were looking at all aspects of the case to ensure that the probe was comprehensive and impartial.

He said while the US government was demanding Davis’s release the provincial government was committed to investigating the case fairly.
“We have refused to succumb to the US pressure,” he said.
He said it was unfortunate that some parties had sought political mileage out of the issue. He said they should realise that it was a very sensitive issue and any irresponsible action could harm national interest “For country’s sake, they should avoid politicizing the issue,” he said.

 

[Rafael]

US denies suspending all high-level dialogue with Pakistan

Islamabad, Feb 9(ANI): The United States has denied reports that it has put all bilateral contacts with Pakistan on hold until Islamabad releases double murder-accused US diplomat Raymond Davis.

“We continue contact with Pakistan to express the importance of resolving the case of a U.S. diplomat in accordance with international law,” US Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs Philip J. Crowley wrote on micro-blogging site Twitter.

Crowley’s tweet came hours after media reports that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had cancelled a meeting last weekend with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi at an international security conference in Munich to protest the arrested US diplomat's detention.

It was also reported that the dispute could affect three major events planned this year- President Asif Ali Zardari’s visit to Washington, the next round of US-Pakistan strategic dialogue and the trilateral talks involving Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States later this month.

In a press briefing also, when asked whether there had been ‘any slowdown on sort of contacts at a lower level, because this issue remains unresolved,’ Crowley said the United States “continues to have contacts” with the Pakistan Government.

“We continue to express to them the importance of resolving this. And we continue to express to them the fact that our U.S. diplomat has diplomatic immunity and should be released,” he added.

Crowley pointed out that “Secretary had a discussion with General Kayani on the margins of the Munich Security Conference. Ambassador Munter talked to President Zardari today. The Secretary talked to President Zardari last week. So we continue to have contacts with our Pakistani counterparts, and we continue to emphasize the importance of resolving this case.”

Yesterday Gen. Kiyani met Hillary and i believe he would have told her that If you don't want your American soldiers in Afghanistan to live than please act like a good boy, thus this development.

 

[Awesome]

Yesterday Gen. Kiyani met Hillary and i believe he would have told her that If you don't want your American soldiers in Afghanistan to live than please act like a good boy, thus this development.

Did they meet? Last I heard the US escalated the tensions by refusing to meet. Well the original meeting was with Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Kayani was just in the neighborhood and she refused to meet Qureshi and Kayani also refused to meet her without Qureshi.

So can't say for sure if it happened... Probably Hi, hello

 

[T-Rex]

Yesterday Gen. Kiyani met Hillary and i believe he would have told her that If you don't want your American soldiers in Afghanistan to live than please act like a good boy, thus this development.

What did Gen. Kiyani tell her? I'm afraid, in the end, the americans will get what they want. They are notorious in the art of blackmailing and getting away with crimes.

 

[Rafael]

Did they meet? Last I heard the US escalated the tensions by refusing to meet. Well the original meeting was with Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Kayani was just in the neighborhood and she refused to meet Qureshi and Kayani also refused to meet her without Qureshi.

So can't say for sure if it happened... Probably Hi, hello

According to some news channels, Yes!

Hillary Clinton Meets General Kayani - Urdu World News