By Aijaz Ahmed
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| DoD ID card of US official Raymond Davis |
Islamabad: Finally the cat is out of the bag! The long simmering diplomatic row between US and Pakistan is over. The two countries found a safe way out of the crisis as the joint Saudi-ISI-CIA mission was successful in saving the neck of US Embassy official, Raymond Davis who was accused in the double murder case in Lahore. And it was Islamic Sharia law of Qasas and Diyat, which came to the rescue of the US official. As the standoff, which had created tension between the two countries, came to an end, it was obvious who made the deal possible but it will be the politicians and the political governments at the center and the Punjab province who are to take the blame in the eyes of many.
“Wait, an out of box solution is finally reached and will be unleashed in a few hours” was the assertion of sources at Foreign Office of Pakistan just few hours before the news of Raymond’s release hit the media channels and social networks. Moments later, TV channels were telecasting the news through their breaking news alerts informing the public that Raymond Davis was pardoned by the aggrieved families of Fahim Shamshad and Faizan, the two young men shot dead by Raymond Davis on January 27th in Lahore, Pakistan.
Rana Sanaullah, the spokesman of the Government of Punjab, and the provincial law minister while confirming the news, maintained that US official Raymond Davis was released on court orders after the aggrieved families pardoned him after receiving blood money under Qasas and Diyat laws. He was bit confused on the amount paid as blood money and about the sources who provided that money. He, however, confirmed in a decisive tone and with surety that all the 18 legal and sharai heirs of Fahim and Faizan were present in the court and all of them in front of the judge pardoned Raymond Davis and then he was released.
A few minutes later Asad Manzoor Butt, a lawyer of the aggrieved families, claimed that he was kept in habeas corpus by jail authorities for few hours. He alleged that the signatures by the families were taken on gunpoint. It was his statement that created doubts regarding the whole story. Meanwhile along with the confirmed reports regarding the safe but a hurried departure of Raymond Davis to Afghanistan, his medical check up and a confirmation by the state department made the situation complex. The reactions were confused, and suddenly a blame game started.
Rana Sanaullah got furious when asked if Punjab Government had played the role of a facilitator instead of the prosecutor. He took refuge of the court decision and same was the position taken by the PPP government in Center. Qamar Zaman Kaira, the information secretary of Pakistan Peoples Party while terming the release a vindication of party’s stand observed that the "court has decided the Raymond Davis case in accordance with country’s constitution and law”. In a statement issued here by the PPP Central Secretariat, Kaira said that the government right from beginning of the case had been saying that Raymond’s issue was in the court and whatever decision it would take in this regard, the government would accept it. He said that the verdict was an endorsement of the principled stance of PPP. He said that the heirs of the deceased themselves appeared in the court and forgave Raymond and accepted blood money.
Assessing the situation and to control damage done by the statement of Senator Kerry earlier, The US Ambassador Cameron Munter tried to ease out the tense situation created by furious Pakistan media by saying that the US Justice Department had started investigations in to the Lahore incident. He however thanked both the central and the provincial governments for their positive roles and assured a full financial assistance in the present financial crunch the country is passing through. He and the state department spokesman in Washington denied any payment on account of Blood Money, while the sources in the jail, Punjab Police and the provincial government were telling different story. The sources while confirming the payment of blood money compensation claimed that Rs. 200 million were paid to 18 legal and sharai heirs of the two deceased. The TV Channels showed copies of the payment receipts and according to them, 10 family members of Faizan and 8 family members of Fahim received the blood money.
No | Family members of Fahim | Amount Paid |
1 | Father of Fahim | Rs. 11.1 million |
2 | Mother of Fahim | Rs. 33.3 million |
3 | Sisters (2) | Rs. 5.5 muillion 55 thousand (each) |
4 | Brothers (4) | Rs. 11.1 million (each) |
Family of Faizan | ||
1 | Mother of Faizan | Rs. 33.3 million |
2 | Widow of Fahim | Rs 25 million |
3 | Brother (3) | Rs. 7.5 million 77 thousand each |
4 | Sisters (5) | Rs. 3.7 million 87 thousand each |
Grand Total | Rs. 206,851,000 |
Note: Widow of Fahim committed suicide and thus there was no compensation or blood money for her
Although United States denied any blood money payment, the receipts of the payments made are enough evidence of the fact that such a heavy amount was paid. But story does not end here; both the families are not in their houses. Both families shifted to some safe houses four days ago and they submitted new affidavits and changed their lawyers said the Punjab Law Minister.
As Punjab Law Minister denied any involvement of his government in settling the issue, and worthy leader of the opposition in National Assembly Ch. Nisar Ali Khan, other PML-N leaders Ahsan Iqbal, Khwaja Asif and Saad Rafique, in their vague statements tried to put all the blame on their opponent federal government and held it accountable, the sources placed in the CM House and Sharif Family are very much sure that Chotay Mian sahib the worthy Khadim e Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif played himself an important role and made it possible that a deal was struck. Senior Columnist Najam Sethi has maintained that Shahbaz had played an instrumental role in convincing the families. He was the one who also convinced families to accept US citizenship.
But the main players in the high drama of course were the army, the ISI, CIA and the Saudi Arabia. Sources in the defense sector are of the view that General Ashfaq Pervez Kiani met Admiral Mullen in Bahrain last month and it was agreed between the two that both security forces and allied spy agencies will resolve the issue and also will reduce tension between CIA and ISI. Next day the CIA Chief made a telephone call to ISI Chief General Pasha and thus road map was agreed. Siddiaq ul Farooq, a PML-N central leader confirmed that Saudi government played its role and made it possible for Punjab government actually led by Nawaz Sharif to settle the issue. It would be second time in recent history that Saudi government has played an active role in a controversial matter in Pakistan. First time it provided a safe exit to Nawaz Sharif and now Raymond Davis from custody of PML-N Government.
Shortly after the two high profile communications and follow up meetings in Islamabad and Washington, the Saudi Ambassador Abdul Aziz al Ghader got active. He kept shuttling between Islamabad and Lahore and finally got the family of Faizan to fly to Makah Mukarma to perform Umrah and hence the families gave up their resistance in receiving the blood money. Saudi ambassador in his meeting with the President earlier this month conveyed that the deal is struck and now the authorities can move forward. Here the powers that be entered the scene again and it was decided to replace the lawyer with Raja Irshad Kiani, a Supreme Court lawyer with dubious credentials. He is the lawyer who in the missing persons’ case had presented the statement of ISI, which admitted custody of some people in front of the Supreme Court and got the issue settled. Raja Irshad Kiani implemented the script and got Raymond released!
In addition, the CIA and ISI who were not at good terms, have agreed on some basic principles, sources in Islamabad claim. The United States in the deal has admitted that Raymond Davis had committed a crime and he will have this stigma for life from now onwards. Secondly a major point of understanding was reached between the two agencies that both agencies i. e. CIA and ISI will obey the basic principles of diplomacy. No under cover agent will cross his/her limits from the agreed role and will act in accordance with the control and command agreement reached between the two governments in Musharraf Regime and they will obey the diplomatic norms and the country law. No US agent will enter Pakistan without visa and a check will be kept on their activities. Some of the dubious agents are leaving Pakistan shortly. An important question still needs the answer, that why US was worried for a DoD contractor, answer is very simple: he still holds one of the top three important positions in CIA, a source in the US Embassy claimed
I think Raymond Davis released is good sign for both country longterm relation but isi break that network how raymond davis bilde in Pakistan and other massage isi gave to CIA donot play in side Pakistan and what I think in future Pakistani land not safe for USA and I believe the war on terrier will be finish this year or next year and USA will find the safe way to quit afganistan and this is not bosible without Pakistan and one good think for Pakistani people as wall becouse of Raymond Davis the will motivate and real democracy will come and16/3/2011date bring lot of changes in Pakistan and afganistan god blasé Pakistan
ReplyDeleteThank you very much Dear Aziz Saeen for such an important information on the issue and all events and step by step developments are undertsandable. I ahve to say that;
ReplyDelete1. There are didplomatic realities and also secret wars of agencies all over the world and perhaps no any country could be spared for its role and interest in this regard
2. Apart from the interest served through diplomatic interventions and secret wars; there are worst affectees as well for these happenings. In case the affctee is common citizen from weaker countries + a country with political insrability, certainly become worst affctees.
3. In Raymond case some political groups and parties found it to serve and further their political aspirations and forward their agenda as well as to gain more popularity in pakistan; ultimately leading Pakistani society towards more extremism and ending the culture of rationale and tolerance. Here I want make a clarity that perhaps we need rationality in every aspect of life but I mean rationality and tolerance that will deacrease in our society in result of way right wing political parties are trying to deal the matter.
4. An important aspect of the incident, just a impartial analysis of affected families firstly they lost lives of their family members and after they were expected to stay firm and speak for National prestige as interpreted by these right wing parties.
5. Finally, I just want to raise a question in a particular scenari that suppose there was no any pressure on the affected families from national and international power corridors as mentioned in the above report, nor from mob justice and national honour promoting parties. And families were totally free to decide what ever they could, courts were free and impartial, Raymond was under trial with possibilities of execution. In that scenario affected families have an offer of blood money as happened - WHAT WOULD HAVE DONE BY 18 LEGAL HEIRS? the question required an honest and rational answer.
@Ahsan,,,,,,,,,,, I have not read this article yet but i have read your interesting comment. I pray God motivates you and your Nation and real Democracy "comes" in pakistan. 4 punjabi guys committed suicide yesterday . I can not understand the reasons behind increasng suicide incedents in punjab while mejority of you have been motivated as you have shown in poor american Davis case.
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