The Foreign Office on Sunday summoned US Ambassador to Pakistan David Hale to register a ‘strong protest’ against the killing of a citizen by a US embassy official in a road accident in Islamabad.
“The US ambassador was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a strong protest was lodged by Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua on the tragic death of Atiq Baig and serious injury to the co-rider in the traffic accident on Saturday that involved a US diplomat,” read a press release issued by the Foreign Office on Sunday.
“The envoy expressed his deep sympathy and sadness over the loss of life and assured that the embassy would fully cooperate in the investigation,” the statement said. “The foreign secretary conveyed that justice will take its course in accordance with the law of the land and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961.”
In a statement on official Twitter account, spokesperson for the Foreign Office Dr Faisal said, “Foreign Ministry is closely following investigation into the road accident involving a US diplomat which led to the tragic death of a Pakistani citizen in Islamabad.”
In a tweet posted later on Sunday, the US embassy expressed sympathy with the family of the deceased.
Earlier in the day, Ateeq Baig was laid to rest in Islamabad. A large number of friends, family and area residents participated in the funeral prayers but no government official or prominent political figure was present.
According to the deceased’s uncle, his nephew was a BA student working at a hotel to make money on the side.
The Kohsar police station has registered a case against the US diplomat on behalf of Baig’s father, Idrees. Emmanuel was not arrested due to diplomatic immunity but his vehicle was confiscated by the police.
Idrees told the police that US diplomat violated the red signal at Margalla Road in F8 sector and the accident was also caught on the CCTV camera. “I request the government to provide us justice,” he said while talking to media.
The investigations have been handed over to homicide unit of Punjab police.
Published in Daily Times, April 9th 2018.
