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Family members of a young Pakistani man killed by a United States (US) diplomat in a road accident rallied in Islamabad on Friday, asking the government to ensure that justice is done.
The rally was held near the road where 22-year-old Ateeq Baig was killed and another person was injured when the US military attaché Col Joseph Emanuel Hall allegedly ran a red light and hit his motorcycle last week.
Baig's father Mohammad Idrees took part in the rally. He said that so far, no US Embassy official had visited his home for condolences.
Pakistan has already lodged a formal protest with US Ambassador David Hale, who expressed sympathy for the victims' families and assured cooperation with the investigation.
According to DawnNewsTV, Col Emanuel was driving a white SUV when he hit Ateeq and Raheel who were travelling on a motorbike. Ateeq died on the spot while Raheel suffered serious injuries and was shifted to a nearby hospital.
Police didn’t attempt to arrest the military attaché since he holds diplomatic immunity; however, they shifted the US embassy’s vehicle to Kohsar police station.
A senior police officer, however, told Dawn on Wednesday that a case had been registered for the crime and that there is 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.
The embassy has issued a security alert restricting personnel movement in Islamabad.
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On DawnNews
Comments (55) Closed
Apr 13, 2018 02:27pm
It was an "Accident" get over it!
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Apr 13, 2018 02:30pm
We all need to reflect why are we ruled by the goons who have no respect for their own people? Even in this darkest Africa where I live, if a local is little bit injured by a foreigner, he has to pay dearly for that. Only because they have respect for their countrymen, despite high corruption.
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Apr 13, 2018 02:33pm
@ART KP If it was your family member then what would be your response (an ACCIDENT)
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Apr 13, 2018 02:34pm
If it was your father/brother , i hope your response would b the same (AN ACCIDENT)
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Apr 13, 2018 02:41pm
@ART KP It was a criminal negligence of not obeying the traffic lights and killing an innocent man
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Apr 13, 2018 02:44pm
@ART KP
Not sure if you understand the meaning of an "accident". He ran a red light in full speed knowing traffic from the other side (on green light) was open. Hard to imagine this is the kind of sense, judgment, and reflexes a US military person possess.
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Apr 13, 2018 02:45pm
'Blood Money (diya)' is the only solution to this case.
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Apr 13, 2018 02:52pm
This not only a crime against the person in question. This is also a crime against the laws of Pakistan. Laws of Pakistan are supreme and the law breaker must face justice within the Pakistani justice system.
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Apr 13, 2018 02:59pm
@Muhamamd Faisal Who obeys traffic laws in Pakistan?
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Apr 13, 2018 03:05pm
Imagine yourself in the shoes of the deceased person's family, relatives, peers and friends. What different you will do other than what they are currently doing?
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Apr 13, 2018 03:08pm
ART KP If he killed your family member world you get OVER IT.
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Apr 13, 2018 03:08pm
Wait President Trump is on his way.
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Apr 13, 2018 03:08pm
1st car speex excelarated to beat signal light; 2nd people on motor cycle don't have sabar to see if road is clear; 3rdly bang, motor guy in hurry n car driver in rush to beat yellow light; 4th motor cycle driver dead n car driver a diplomate. Trail or not - diplomat is free n USA will never withdraw immunity. Max parents of motor cycle driver n other person could be compensated.
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Apr 13, 2018 03:11pm
@ART KP i would suggest you go to USA and do the same to one of their citizen and if see if anyone comes up with the same statement as yours.
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Apr 13, 2018 03:17pm
My advise is for the family to appeal to a US senator if they have any relatives in the United States. A senator will ask the US ambassador for an inquiry by congressional letter. The embassy is trying to play this down and keep it quiet. They don't want a congressional investigation. The bureaucrats don't want anything that reflects badly on the their job performance reviews.
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Apr 13, 2018 03:25pm
@ART KP You are obviously not familiar with Manslaughter and the punishment for it.
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Apr 13, 2018 03:32pm
@ART KP you should be ashamed to even write such a comment. The family lost a young son and brother and you want them to get over it?
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Apr 13, 2018 03:35pm
please do something CJ SCP
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Apr 13, 2018 03:37pm
Those who are in the business of killing do not come for condolence. It is a rule of life.
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Apr 13, 2018 03:39pm
I hope they will not sell blood of their son
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Apr 13, 2018 03:44pm
@Muhamamd Faisal - due punishment under law must be seen to be handed down. Same punishment if a foreigner was killed by a speeding normal Pakistani.
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Apr 13, 2018 04:21pm
His name should be put on ECL
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Apr 13, 2018 04:23pm
@Shah what laws are you talking about? The one made by parliament that talked about shooting down the drones? Law is a joke in this land.
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Apr 13, 2018 04:33pm
@Shah - please explain to me how many Pakistani citizens face justice ? . How many Pakistanis are held to account for breaking the law ? . What would the current situation be if a member of a prominent political or business family had hit the motorcycle ? . How many mullahs openly break the law and face zero action ? - this is Pakistan we are living in so please lower your expectations until we have leaders that wish to implant the law for all
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Apr 13, 2018 04:35pm
As per Vienna Convention it is possible to waive immunity; this tends to happen only when the individual has committed a serious crime, unconnected with their diplomatic role .
For instance, in 2002, a Colombian diplomat in London was prosecuted for manslaughter, once diplomatic immunity was waived by the Colombian government.
PK should as US to waive Cols immunity so that the complaint can be moved to the courts.
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Apr 13, 2018 04:38pm
@ART KP someone have to be accountable even if it was an accident. By the way it was negligence of the Col to obey traffic rules. He should bear consiquence for it.
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Apr 13, 2018 04:41pm
@ART KP so in your country masses are habitual to break the traffic lights and later your country law declare it an accident?
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Apr 13, 2018 04:54pm
The point to be addressed in this case is the callous disregard, insensitivity and the trivialization of lives lost at the hands of the U.S., be it their soldiers, diplomats or any force. It reminds me of a chilling episode some years ago in Islamabad when a U.S. diplomat run-over a pedestrian and kept on driving till he reached his house in F-7, with the body of the victim entangled in his SUV's front bumper/bull bar. In that case too, nothing was done. I ask if the same had happened in the U.S. by a Pakistani diplomat, the U.S. forces would have stormed the embassy and forcefully taken the diplomat in custody and convicted him.
We need to stand-up as a nation and say enough is enough. Our leadership needs to stop humiliating us and for once value the lives of Pakistanis.
#Pakistani lives matter.
#No to callous disregard by the U.S.
#Respect our lives.
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Apr 13, 2018 04:56pm
Many innocent people are regularly injured and even killed in hit and run accidents in Pakistan involving rich politicians in big cars and no one is ever convicted or held accountable. Yes there should be absolute accountability under the law in this case, but then it should be the same for everyone including Pakistanis.
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Apr 13, 2018 04:57pm
“Blood money” alert.
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Apr 13, 2018 05:18pm
@Shah. "Laws of Pakistan are supreme"- impressive.
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Apr 13, 2018 05:25pm
Obviously Family is looking for a big pay off from USA government.
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Apr 13, 2018 05:34pm
This can only happen in pakistan.
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Apr 13, 2018 05:36pm
@ART KP ; Let someone repeat this criminal incident with one of your family member. We'll see if you can then forget it as an Accident.
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Apr 13, 2018 05:56pm
@ART KP Think that your brother or sister was killed in this accident and then feel the pain.
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Apr 13, 2018 06:28pm
Diplomatic immunity aside, there are some basic rules of humanity. Even if the person carries diplomatic immunity, he is a human being who caused death of another human being, may be accidentally but, he should have shown human sympathy and said heart felt sorry to the family of the person he caused to die. This is called practical diplomacy.
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Apr 13, 2018 06:47pm
This Raymond Davis number 2 must be punished according to the Pakistani law. This so-called diplomatic immunity basically gives someone a license to kill that is why it should be cancelled and his name should be put on ECL. This so-called US diplomat should spend a long time in Pakistani Jail for recklessly killing an innocent Pakistani citizen.
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Apr 13, 2018 06:47pm
@ART KP if your family member was at his place how you feel ?
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Apr 13, 2018 06:49pm
Bring the US diplomat to justice. What is our police doing ? Don't do and allow injustice.
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Apr 13, 2018 06:51pm
You don't need their condolences. The blood money will come from the coffers of the Pakistani government and you will be told to accept the same and get on with your lives. That is the precedent they have set in the Raymond Davis case and they will work accordingly in the present case as well.
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Apr 13, 2018 07:09pm
@ART KP Will see your response if it had been your brother who got run over like that. Will you still say to your parents it was Accident and get over with it?
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Apr 13, 2018 07:24pm
Sadly, I know my kind too well. Diplomatic immunity does not give a diplomat a license to kill. But, here in Pakistan, it does. And as far as the deceased family's anger over US embassy' s cold shoulder is concerned, they are more interested in the fat dollar check to shut them up. This country is known for its blood money practices in the name of religion.
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Apr 13, 2018 07:29pm
First, it was an accident. Second, motor cyclist had no license. Third, looks like that family is more interested in money. Need to wait for trail, as both sites are guilty. One broke red light and other, riding without license.
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Apr 13, 2018 08:03pm
@ART KP . An accident correct. But his accident happened due dangerous driving and breaking the law which is a crime. The victim's family is asking for justice and wants the criminal be punished. Is that wrong?
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Apr 13, 2018 08:31pm
The dead do not rest until there is Prosecution of the crime in a court of Law even and especially if it happens to be negligence.
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Apr 13, 2018 08:39pm
Condolence or blood money ( which is your right)
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Apr 13, 2018 08:42pm
@Gen Akthar (retired) People like you want a one injection solution. This is not how the world works. We need to achieve small wins over time. Step by step. NO leader is coming to save us. We have to save our selves. Be realistic, get out from your dream.
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Apr 13, 2018 08:51pm
The driver definitely needs to be held accountable, however accidents do happen and it has already been asserted that the driver was fully at fault, In Pakistan it’s a daily occurance with people dying in car accident , hit and run etc, anybody with connections usually gets free , we need to fix our system first before blaming others, since this guy has diplomatic immunity most likely case will be moved to US and it will go to court , they will give him a light sentence such as community service and probably put him in a different kind of posting , case closed
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Apr 13, 2018 08:53pm
@Niaz Akbar : I won't be asking for condolences from US embassy. Won't be hoping anything from shameless government. I will be doing as much as I could in my own capacity going to courts and in media. If I can't do anything i won't be asking for any pity from US embassy it sounds the family is after blood money similar to Raymond Davis case in which both government and family shamelessly bowed down to the pressure for money.
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Apr 13, 2018 09:11pm
Family should get some type of compensation from US government
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Apr 14, 2018 12:21am
Justice must be done
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Apr 14, 2018 01:03am
@ART KP Yes it was an accident but due to negligent driving of a white man.
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Apr 14, 2018 04:46am
Where is the blood money? One should not rest before the family gets justice!!
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Apr 14, 2018 05:38am
RIP and condolences to family
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Apr 14, 2018 08:06am
@ART KP If it were your own family, we'd see how you'd like to get over it.
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