Interior Minister Rehman Malik tried to brazenly mislead members of the Senate of Pakistan on the American hired-gun Raymond Davis. Addressing the senators on Wednesday, 2 Feb., Mr. Malik told the house that the murderer working for the US Embassy in Islamabad 'holds a diplomatic passport.'
Mr.Malik tried to confuse 'diplomatic immunity' with 'diplomatic passport'. While the accused American was issued a diplomatic passport by the US government, the Pakistani government refused to recgonize him as such and only granted him a business visa.
Now the Zardari government and its key figures are trying to hoodwink the Pakistani nation by confusing diplomatic immunity, which the murderer doesn't have, with a diplomatic passport that he carries without a Pakistani diplomatic visa.
The most ridiculous statement that Mr. Malik made in the Senate was this: "We have to live in this world and we have certain treaties with other countries.'
Basically the Zardari government is in big trouble. Mr. Malik is on record telling former US ambassador Anne Patterson that his government looks to Washington for support and protection. Mr. Zardari has told US officials he doesn't mind if CIA increases drone attacks and kills innocent Pakistani civilians in the process because 'collateral damage worries you Americans, not me.'
So this Pakistani government considers serving US interests its highest aim in life and the reason for its existence. Pakistani citizens shot in their backs by a military-trained officer who claims to be a diplomat and who concocted a story about armed robbery, all of this doesn't matter to Mr. Malik and his government. What is more important in his view is for him to serve a foreign government with loyalty.
But the bad news for Mr. Malik is that this time Pakistanis have had it with US meddling in Pakistan and have had it with a rented Pakistani ruling elite serving foreign interests.
Independent Pakistani political activists and civil society members intend to keep the pressure on this government. The families and loved ones of the three murdered Pakistanis have also resisted all pressures by Mr. Malik's men to bribe them with offers of a US Green Card and stacks of hundred-dollar US bills in exchange for pardoning the murderer.
But the real issue here is to stop the practice of allowing US covert agents into Pakistan that Mr. Malik's government is deeply involved in at the expense of Pakistani interests.
Mr.Malik tried to confuse 'diplomatic immunity' with 'diplomatic passport'. While the accused American was issued a diplomatic passport by the US government, the Pakistani government refused to recgonize him as such and only granted him a business visa.
Now the Zardari government and its key figures are trying to hoodwink the Pakistani nation by confusing diplomatic immunity, which the murderer doesn't have, with a diplomatic passport that he carries without a Pakistani diplomatic visa.
The most ridiculous statement that Mr. Malik made in the Senate was this: "We have to live in this world and we have certain treaties with other countries.'
Basically the Zardari government is in big trouble. Mr. Malik is on record telling former US ambassador Anne Patterson that his government looks to Washington for support and protection. Mr. Zardari has told US officials he doesn't mind if CIA increases drone attacks and kills innocent Pakistani civilians in the process because 'collateral damage worries you Americans, not me.'
So this Pakistani government considers serving US interests its highest aim in life and the reason for its existence. Pakistani citizens shot in their backs by a military-trained officer who claims to be a diplomat and who concocted a story about armed robbery, all of this doesn't matter to Mr. Malik and his government. What is more important in his view is for him to serve a foreign government with loyalty.
But the bad news for Mr. Malik is that this time Pakistanis have had it with US meddling in Pakistan and have had it with a rented Pakistani ruling elite serving foreign interests.
Independent Pakistani political activists and civil society members intend to keep the pressure on this government. The families and loved ones of the three murdered Pakistanis have also resisted all pressures by Mr. Malik's men to bribe them with offers of a US Green Card and stacks of hundred-dollar US bills in exchange for pardoning the murderer.
But the real issue here is to stop the practice of allowing US covert agents into Pakistan that Mr. Malik's government is deeply involved in at the expense of Pakistani interests.
None of this is new. Ayub Khan looking at Pakistani troops marching said to a visiting USA bigwig "this is your army". Since the murder of Liaqat Ali Khan and Removal of Khuwaja Nizam ud Din Pakistan has had either American agents or smarties as govermnent of Pakistan. The System is bassed on English Common Law with English Culture dominating our own. To call Rahman as Home Minister of Pakistan and Zardari as President joke has gone beyond joke.
ReplyDeleteBest that ought to be promoted is to CHANGE the SYSTEM. That means no Nawabs, Gadi Nashins Military "left right"s. Total control of People. May be it will frighten 'the class' and its masters but will free People of our Ancient Nation from degradation where scums shoot our citizens in our street like dogs. No one not even a diplomate has right to kill not even if he was trying to rob him. Dies this ugly oaf Rahaman know what does a treaty mean? I doubt.
This post makes no sense.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, Interior Minister Malik has no authority to determine Raymond Davis status, that's the job of the Foreign Office, who not only issues visas, which they did to Davis, but also determines diplomatic status, including diplomatic immunity. In this case, they have abdicated their responsibility on this score by passing the buck to other ministries and Punjab government, leaving them to determine what is what, which they are not qualified to do. So the lion's share for this fiasco should go to Foreign Minister Qureshi.
Second, you are plain wrong on whether or not Davis has diplomatic immunity. He does. For one thing, there is no such thing as a diplomatic visa from Pakistan. The diplomatic passport is enough? Did you see the photo of Davis passport It is clearly marked that the holder is on official US government business. Vienna Convention covers support and administrative staff, which Davis is. Pakistan cannot selectively apply it as it wishes. If Pakistan violates international treaties, Pakistan diplomats will be at risk not in the USA, but everywhere.
Of course, if President Musharraf, with full support of the military, then and now, didn't make a secret deal with the US allowing operatives like Davis is, Pakistan would not be in this position.
Unfortunately, Pakistan will hand over Davis. It has no choice, but it can do one thing. Cancel the visas of these operative and declare them persona non grata. This will be welcomed by the people and preserve Pakistan's dignity as a sovereign nation and respect for rule of law. it's a start anyway.
Big Jumper,
ReplyDeleteI read in the news that Micky Mouse American terrorists have allocated Rs 2.5 Arab to buy the Urdu / English column writers in Pakistan and also the ordinary people, in order to win favours for Terrorist USA.
How much the Micky Mouse Terrorists of USA have paid you ?
You talk about the Vienna Convention, which protects the Micky Mouse Terrorist of the American Embassy in Islamabad.
Please let us also know what does "your" Vienna Convention say about the killing of 3 innocent people by a "So called Diplomat". If it says that the Diplomat should be released, then does it mean that if a Pakistani diplomat in Micky Mouse America kills 3 Micky Mouse Americans, he (Pak diplomat) would be allowed to go free under this Vienna Convention ??
Would the Terrorist American govenment let a Pak Diplomat leave the country, if he kills 3 ordinary Americans in Washington ???
I believe not. American terrorists would surely put the Pak diplomat on trial and this is exactly Pak government should do regading the Micky Mouse Terrorist, Raymond Davis.
You are the Mir Jaafer, Altaf Hussain and Musharraf of the contemporary era.
We, on the other hand, are the patriotic Tipu Sultans and Haider Alis of the contemporary era and we will protect our Golden Pakistan with our last drop of blood and the last breath in our lungs.
Patriotic Tipu Sultan
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www.BoycottIndia.wordpress.com
Boycott:
ReplyDeleteJudging by your comments and your "web sites", you are either an escaped mental patient, or someone suffering from serious brain damage. My guess would be both.
Come back when you're both serious and mature, sir, then we can talk.
Raymond Davis is just a symptom of a deep seated disease. The truth is that there are hunderds of Raymond Davises in Pakistan. Dealing only with the symptoms and leaving the disease untreated would be the height of folly.
ReplyDeleteAhmed, you must be well aware that it is traitors like Zardari, his Interior Minister Malik and their henchmen, who freely issue visas on demand to the Americans. Why do the patriotic journalists not get together and commence legal proceedings for treason against Zardari & Co?
Certainly, it is essential not to release Davis and to punish him for the murders. The publicity that this will generate will humiliate the USA and it could force it to re-consider its insane, inhuman policies vis a vis Pakistan.
Here is an excellent article by Saleem Safi - a "must read":
http://www.jang.com.pk/jang/feb2011-daily/08-02-2011/col3.htm
Only 2% of Pakistanis are pro-american and rest of the others hate America. But the problem is that, 2% are ruling our country so it is very difficult without any major revolution that we can separate our way from America. We need a true leader, who lead us to become a sovereign nation.
ReplyDeletesakib sahib:
ReplyDeletethe only country that will be humiliated is pakistan for turning the raymond davis affair into a political circus; used by the political and military establishment to score some points with the mostly ignorant and illiterate masses, some of whom, who seem, frequent this blog. and to score some more $$$ from the united states.
if it is deemed that raymond davis does enjoy diplomatic immunity and pakistan prosecutes him anyway in order to serve the blood lust of people like you, i'm afraid pakistan's international standing will go from close to nothing to completely nothing. not even pakistan's erstwhile friend china will help. and we know how many friends pakistan has, dont we sakib sahib?
Dear Possessor of an incredibly long name!
ReplyDeleteWho are you kidding? The rest of the world has woken up to the reality of "Raymond Davis" but you insist on feeding lies to the Pakistani public! Please read the "Tailpiece" that I added to my current blog post today.
Several of the comments on Craig Murray's original piece in the Guardian are worth reading, especially Crowley's press conference. He made two remarkable statements: Raymond Davis was not the man's real name and he worked for the American Consulate in Lahore. "Diplomat Davis" is an ugly game being played by the hypocritical Americans, including their president. Poor Obama! He seems little more than a puppet being manipulated by the CIA.
It seems you have already made your mind about the case and cherry-picking evidence to justify your decision.
ReplyDeleteI've read Craig Murray's article and I'm convinced more than ever he doesn't know what he's talking about. How does he know that Raymond Davis does not a have a diplomatic title.
Who are these ex-military servicemen that he is using as sources? What authority or expertise do they have to make such decision? You would think he would consult experts on the Vienna Convention he supposedly knows about. Does he know there are 2 Vienna Conventions, not one?
On top of that, Murray uses qualifiers like may be or unlikely. Very unconvincing.
Have I? Or, is it the other way round?
ReplyDeleteLet me just copy what I have said elsewhere:
"I do not know where you are coming from – I am reminded of the ‘Trojan horse’ of my blog post. Who exactly are you? Surely, Crowley wasn’t lying at his press conference when he declared that the man arrested in Lahore had a different real name? Again, according to Crowley, he worked for the Lahore Consulate. And you are telling us that a man with a false identity could have full “diplomatic immunity”!
Are you hoping that with the departure of Shah Mehmood Quraishi from the Foreign Ministry someone will produce false documents to save the American?"
Craig Murray fully understands the distinction in the Geneva Conventions between the treatment of employees of an embassy and those of a consulate. You, it seems, are too heavily influenced by American propaganda to appreciate that distinction.
It's obvious you don't know what you are talking about either. It's not the Geneva Conventions, but the Vienna Convention(s) that govern diplomatic relations among nations. And yes, there are two of them, which Craig Murray does not make the distinction.
ReplyDeleteHave your read them? I have.
As for your claim that I've been influenced by American propaganda. Hardly. I just do my own homework. What or who have you been influenced by?
You have at last revealed your true colours. You are either a CIA asset or one of those sitting inside the “Trojan horse”. Who are you exactly? Is the very long number you use to identify yourself given to you by the CIA?
ReplyDeleteIn my haste to type up my last comment I made a slip, typing ‘Geneva’ instead of ‘Vienna’. The way you have pounced on that slip shows your lack of integrity.
I am not a lawyer and I have no intention of reading the Vienna Conventions. When I require advice I turn to experts of integrity and good repute such as Craig Murray, Asif Ezdi and Babar Sattar (the latter two write for The News). They have made it clear that there are two sets of conventions, those applying to the staff of an embassy (‘full immunity’) and those applying to a consulate employee (‘partial immunity’). At best, ‘Davis’ may qualify for the partial immunity, which is useless where the employee has committed murder. Get it?
It is possible that you may be pinning your hope on the collusion between the Interior Ministry under Malik, and the Foreign Ministry post-Qureshi, to falsify documents and send them to the court as “evidence”. That could sound the death knell for this government. We’ll have to wait and see how things turn out.
Interesting debate.
ReplyDeleteI've read Amb. Ezdi's columns too on this case and he said one point that we should all pay heed to:
"The US Embassy is right about one thing though. It is for the Foreign Ministry to make a determination on the status of the person who goes by the name of Raymond Davis. This determination, as the Diplomatic and Consular Privileges Act of 1972 lays down, is to be treated as final and conclusive."
This why the LHC has ordered the FO to state what Raymond Davis diplomatic status is and whether or not he has diplomatic immunity. The FO has mid-March to do it.
Mr. Malik is right that the FO can manufacture proof about Raymond Davis and turn him into a diplomat, but who could tell they were lying?
Nevertheless, I believe this government's goose was cooked well before raymond davis came on the scene.
Yes and No, because the inordinate delay in confirming Davis's status has alerted the whole nation to the possibility of a dirty deal between the governments of Pakistan and the USA.
ReplyDeleteWhy does the FO require one-and-a-half months to make a decision on Davis’s immunity? On 27 January, when he committed two murders, his name was either on the list of those who have ‘full immunity’ or it wasn’t. According to Shah Mehmood Qureshi "Davis" did not have full immunity given to embassy staff. As a consulate employee he may, at best, have partial immunity, which is useless in a murder case.
It is more than likely that the court will summon Qureshi as a witness in this case. He has said that he will not hesitate to spill the beans - so the government will need to tread with caution to avoid the nation's backlash. The court will also pay close attention to the dramatic change in the USA's position from its original stance of 'Davis' not being the man's real name and his being employed by the Lahore consulate.
Dear Mr. Ahmad:
ReplyDeleteI referred to you as Mr. Malik previously. I don't know why I did this, but I would like to apologize.
Why the FO is delaying Raymond Davis diplomatic status is a head-scracther. Only they know the answer. In fact, why didn't SMQ say anything when he was foreign minister.
Additionally, I have been following this case from day one. According to various news reports that when police apprehended Raymond Davis, he claimed diplomatic immunity and claimed he worked for US state department. Usually, in this case, the police should've contacted the FO and verified such information, but they never did.
It has been a failure by all side in this mess. The US government, Pakistan government, and the media for writing conflicting reports.
Hope things are sorted out.
Mr Sakib Ahmed,
ReplyDeleteI believed you had a bit more integrity than this. For heaven's sake, what difference is there between you and the ultimate conspiracy theorists out there who have nothing better to do than declare random people as "assets of CIA"?
Shameful. If you don't have the capability of digesting a divergent viewpoint, then it comes highly advised that you stop arguing. It makes you look childish, foolish and uncouth when you declare people as agents of RAW, mossad yahoodi eesai taliban etc nexus.
Learn to argue with prim and proper logic. And learn to bear divergent viewpoints.
Curryman,
ReplyDeleteAsif Ezdi has written another excellent article today:
http://thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=34830&Cat=9
There are also dark insinuations of a deal between the CIA and the ISI, with the tacit agreement of the PPP and the PML(N). In the event it may be best if, as suggested by Mr Ezdi, the case is proceeded with in the International Court of Justice.
These so called democratic leaders do not have any idea of the sufferings of the common man. Masses have started hating them. Present system is erving only the rich and the powerful. We want a revolution:
ReplyDeletehttp://ihaveadream-pakistan.blogspot.com/p/governance-reforms.htm
We have maligned our images ourselves. We need to rebuild it now. Present set of so called leaders are only selfish and corrupt with no interest in common man problems. Lets rise and solve our problems ourselves:
ReplyDeletehttp://ihaveadream-pakistan.blogspot.com/p/land-reforms.html
Time to recognise our own strengths. We do not need any aid, we need to identify those who have sold ours and their motherland to americans. If we are awake no one can harm, we are majority, while these cowards are meagre minority. My dream government setup would lok like this:
ReplyDeletehttp://ihaveadream-pakistan.blogspot.com/p/outline-plan.html