Thaindian News

Washington, Mar 17(ANI): The United States has welcomed the release of double murder-accused CIA contractor Raymond Davis, and stressed that he was freed in accordance with Pakistani law.

“The United States welcomes the release of Mr. Davis. He was released under — he was pardoned, as you understand it, aswe all know, by the families involved of the victims and in accordance with Pakistani law,”White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said during a briefing.

However, when asked whether reports that the US government paid the victims’ family members, or that the Pakistani government paid them and the US government will get a bill, were accurate, Carney said he did not have “any information that would corroborate that.”

Davis was arrested by Pakistani police after shooting dead 22-year-old Faizan Haider and 26-year-old Faheem Shamshad on January 27 in Lahore, allegedly in self-defence.

On March 16- the same day when he was indicted for double murder- Davis was freed and quickly flown out of Pakistan after the heirs of the two victims told a local court that they had accepted compensation, bringing the one and a half month-long saga to an abrupt end.

Riots broke out on the streets of Pakistan following the revelation that Davis was released over a ‘blood-money’ deal, and hundreds of protesters attempted to attack the US Consulate building in Lahore on Wednesday evening. (ANI)