Recently 3 Innocent lives were lost in the heart of Islamic Republic of Pakistan while more than a dozen people including women and children were severely injured, unfortunately at the hands of Americans roaming around suspiciously in busy areas of the city of Lahore with illegal arms and driving at high-speed breaking the one-way traffic route and crushing innocent bystanders and bicyclists under their 4×4.
The incident raised many questions while flaming the emotions of a strategically placed nuclear-nation of 180 Million people with a freed Judiciary, powerful military, unpopular government and powerful media, all crying out loud for just one thing …………………….
JUSTICE WITHOUT COMPROMISE
Before proceeding further on the matter, let us examine the matter with the stances from different sides, eyewitness accounts, the relatives of the murder victims and injured, public at large, stance of one of the culprits (remember his accomplice and the murderer who was driving the 4×4 fled the scene) Pakistan’s Government and the USA’s official stance.
Eyewitness Accounts:
The picture of the incident as reported through the words of eyewitnesses emerge as below:
a) The area was highly congested and traffic move very closely (it is very normal for people in the city and in many western cities including in Central London)
b) The American (called as Raymond Davis) shot at the back of two bike riders
c) One of them died on the spot
d) The other was in his dying moments when Raymond started taking pictures and making video of his dying moments and his dead companion
e) There was NO apparent provocation
f)When asked why he killed them he said he “acted in self-defense” in “URDU” the local national language which American Diplomats usually CANNOT speak.
g) He also shot at the Traffic Warden while trying to flee
h) When surrounded by cops and public and stuck in traffic Raymond pointed his weapons at the cops initially
i) The 4×4 which came to his rescue got stuck in traffic near jail road, Lahore and decided to break the law by entering the wrong side of a busy road at very HIGH speeds and killed atleast one innocent motorcyclist on the spot while injuring some pedestrians
j) While trying to flee Raymond hit a Rickshaw (local public transport vehicle for small number of passengers) which resulted in it turning upside down and injuring the women and kids in it while hitting some pedestrians who were later treated in the hospital
As per the relatives of the murder victims and injured:
k) Answering why ONE of the victims had a gun they clarified that it was a properly licensed weapon for personal safety as his Elder brother was murdered due to some rivalries and he was threatened
l) Confirmed that one of the motorcyclist got married 3 months ago and one was to marry within next couple of months
m) Pointed out to police confirmation that NONE has any criminal records before
n) Drew attention to the eyewitness confirmation that there was NO PROVOCATION and they did not aim at or approach the American
o) Referred to the autopsy report confirming that both were SHOT FROM THE BACK, MULTIPLE TIMES (Self defense?)
Public at large:
There is huge public outcry over the unprovoked murders in broad daylight in a busy center of the city by foreign nationals carrying ILLEGAL FIREARMS & BREAKING TRAFFIC LAWS.
The matter is seen as a test case for the hugely unpopular government.
Stance of one of the culprits (referred to as Mr. Raymond Davis):
One of the accomplice of Mr. Davis was reported to have fled in the “Rescue 4×4 Vehicle”, the driver of which is also at large after he KILLED another civilian motorcyclist when it entered a one-way road from the wrong way at high-speed. The culprits are with the American Consulate despite it’s promises to surrender the driver and the 4×4 involved in the traffic violations, injuring and killing of civilians, as confirmed by the Punjab Law Minister Mr. RanaSanaullah .
Since the other 2 accomplices are at large, only Raymond Davis’ stance is known as of yet.
Raymond has claimed that:
* he works as “technical advisor” with the American consulate in Lahore
* that the guys “wanted” to rob him
* previously he claimed that they aimed the weapon at him which was denied by eye witnesses and later retracted by him
* he acted in “self-defense”
* he will apologise to the relatives of the deceased
* (as per police sources) he “suspected” he was about to be kidnapped or attacked
Stance of Pakistan’s Government:
Mr. RanaSanaullah, the provincial law minister is reported to have told that:
* the man’s identity documents including passport names him as “Raymond Davis”
* his address is of USA
* he is with the USA consulate
* he had the firearm ILLEGALLY
* atleast 3 cell phones and illegal firearms were recovered from Raymond Davis
* the murder victims have a clean record with regards to robberies
* one of the murdered civilian’s brother was killed a few days ago and had kept a licensed firearm for self-protection with proper authorisation
* the murders were unprovoked
* USA consulate promised to surrender the 4×4 and the driver who violated traffic laws and killed another civilian
* they will “follow” the law and would “not” surrender to the pressures
* why was Raymond travelling in the center of the city WITHOUT informing any government official?
* why was Raymond carrying ILLEGAL FIREARMS?
* what was Raymond doing in the MOST BUSY area of Lahore city?
In another development, there was protest in the Assembly when a member of the ruling PPP asked the Federal Interior Minister, Mr. Abdul Rehman Malik to apologise for pressuring the Police officer incharge to let Raymond go free.
Mr. Malik denied the accusation.
Independent media reports and police officials confirmed the incident.
USA’s official stance:
After a long silence and careful silence USA has demanded release of Raymond Davis and backtracked on its promise to surrender the Murderer who was driving the 4×4 along with the vehicle.
Washington Post reported “U.S. Embassy demands release of ‘unlawfully detained’ diplomat who shot 2 Pakistanis”
Strange was the behaviour of the American officials who:
* claimed his name taken from his passport was NOT his real name (Fraud?)
* claimed he was a civilian official with the USA Consulate in Lahore
* REFUSED to disclose the position at the Consulate
* REFUSED to disclose the Real Name
* REFUSED to answer what was he doing in the Busy Center of Lahore
* No diplomatic immunity covers murder
* Diplomatic immunity is different for different officials, lesser for consular and even lesser for the consulate employees
