Lahore: A Pakistani court has directed
police to take action against the driver of a speeding US
consulate vehicle that killed a motorcyclist while rushing to
aid American official Raymond Davis, arrested after he gunned
down two men here.
Lahore High Court Chief Justice Ijaz Chaudhry also
ordered police to take the vehicle from the US consulate into
their possession for investigation.
The judge yesterday issued the orders in response to a
petition filed by Muhammad Ijaz-ur-Rehman, the brother of
Obaid-ur-Rehman, the motorcyclist killed by the consulate
vehicle.
Davis was arrested on January 27 after he shot and
killed two armed men he said were trying to rob him at Mozang
Obaid-ur-Rehman died in the same area when he was hit
by a vehicle that was carrying US consulate employees who were
responding to Davis` call for help.
Ijaz-ur-Rehman asked the court to issue an order to
police for the immediate arrest of the driver of the consulate
vehicle.
The Chief Justice called an Assistant Advocate General
of Punjab province and directed him to ensure that the court?s
order is complied with.
The Chief Justice observed: "It is the police`s duty
to investigate the case in a fair and impartial manner and to
bring on record and consider evidence which they wish to rely
on. The investigation is directed to record the statements of
(Ijaz-ur-Rehman) and eyewitnesses, provided that the
investigation of the case has not so far been completed, and
proceed with the matter in accordance with the law."
The court then disposed of Ijaz-ur-Rehman`s petition.
The dead man`s brother had registered a case at Lytton
Road police station, accusing the driver of the US consulate
vehicle of murder.
The US consulate in Lahore and the Embassy in
Islamabad have not yet identified the officials who were in
the vehicle that killed Obaid-ur-Rehman.
The consulate has also not responded to several
requests from authorities in Lahore to hand over the vehicle.
Police have rejected Davis` claim that he acted in
self-defence and have charged him with murder in a `challan`
filed in court this week.
The Pakistan government, fearful of a backlash due to
growing anti-American sentiment in the country, has rejected
US demands to free Davis and said his case will be decided by
the courts.
Matters have been further complicated because of the
rivalry between the Pakistan People`s Party, which heads the
federal government, and the main opposition PML-N, which rules
Punjab.
The PML-N government has said it intends to prosecute
Davis and other Americans involved in the hit-and-run incident
while the PPP is trying to find an amicable solution to the
row that has taken Pakistan-US ties to a new low.
PTI
