Double murder-accused American has “no complete immunity”: Qureshi
February 16th, 2011 - 4:56 pm ICT by ANIIslamabad, Feb 16(ANI): Double murder-accused American official Raymond Davis does not enjoy blanket immunity, Pakistan’s former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad after his meeting with US Senator John Kerry, Qureshi said the Foreign Office had briefed him that Davis did not possess complete immunity- something that the United States was claiming for him.
Qureshi was recently dropped from the newly appointed cabinet, reportedly “over his divergent opinion on the Raymond Davis issue”. The ex-minister said that his stance on the matter was principled, not personal.
“I was briefed that Raymond has no complete immunity. I instructed the Foreign Secretary to follow the law,” SAMAA TV quoted Qureshi, as saying.
He said that he would support truth and justice, adding: “US must keep in mind Pakistan’s sacrifices.”
Qureshi also said that both America and Pakistan needed each other’s help.
According to an earlier report on Wednesday, Pakistan’s Foreign Office has declared Davis “a diplomat” in a letter written to the Law Ministry.
As per the letter, Davis was designated in Pakistan at the US Consulate in Lahore as “a diplomat” and enjoys ‘diplomatic immunity’ according to the Vienna Convention.
Qureshi’s comments may come as a setback to the Pakistan Government, and undermine its apparent efforts to pave a way to release the detained diplomat amidst mounting US pressure. (ANI)
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Tags: blanket immunity, diplomat, diplomatic immunity, double murder, foreign minister, foreign office, islamabad, john kerry, lahore, law ministry, mehmood, pakistan government, raymond davis, senator john kerry, setback, truth and justice, vienna convention