Raymond Davis Case, Blood Money, ISI & Ghairat Brigade’s Sudden U-Turn: Who Arranged the Blood Money?

By: Aijaz Ahmed

Raymond Davis

Although an official word has come from a responsible provincial functionary from Punjab regarding the whereabouts of victim families, their long disappearance will still cast shadows on the brave stance taken by the provincial government in this regard.

Rana Sanaullah, the provincial law minister and a close associate of CM Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif, while commenting on the case has openly confirmed that the families of Faizan and Fahim, the two young men murdered by CIA operative Raymond Davis in Lahore on January 27^th were in Rawalpindi. His statement in a TV talk show would have settled some dust about the disappearance of the two families that pardoned US undercover agent against a heavy blood money, however, the threats the two families are facing will force them to remain underground for quite some time, sources in the military quarters of Rawalpindi have maintained. 

Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah

Replying to a question from a TV anchor person, Rana Sanaullah observed that the families were picked up (he however did not mention by whom the families were picked up) two days before the case was decided at Kot Lakhpat Jail Lahore. Giving more details, he further observed that the both families were present in the court that was established inside the jail due to security reasons. 

He further claimed that the families were assured by Imran Khan, Jamaat-e-Islami and other right wing forces of complete financial, moral, legal, political and social support, but everybody left them alone and practically did nothing for them. The behavior of these forces with the victim families was instrumental in their decision to receive blood money as these poor families were given not a single penny to bear the expenses of the case by these so called supporters. Rana shocked the viewers when he confirmed media reports that Shabana, the widow of Fahim who committed suicide, had whispered to him that the families were planning to pardon Raymond Davis and her name was excluded from the Sharai heirs of her husband. He said, he tried to assure her by showing the list of family of Faizan where name of his widow was on third number after father and mother, and also assured her that her name is included in the list on the same position, but she could not survive as her body was damaged internally, he maintained.

Shabana, widow of Mohammad Fahim

The concerning revelations by independent sources support the claim of worthy law minister of Punjab. The police sources confirm that the families made many desperate calls to US Consulate Lahore on the telephone numbers it listed in the directory, however nobody was there to respond to the calls, meanwhile CIA and ISI entered in an understanding (already revealed by IH and other independent media). As soon as the ISI got a go ahead signal, the deal was struck and families got handsome amount in blood money. The families were afraid of backlash and also anticipated threats from other relatives and thus requested a protective custody that was provided in Rawalpindi.

However, few male members of the family are currently in Dubai to explore venues for some business and settlement in UAE. It is further revealed that two members of each family will initially go to United States and than will call their other relatives if they found the society there favorable and appropriate for their other family members, sources maintained.

Another interesting information regarding the source that paid such a heavy amount in terms of blood money is also available. Contrary to the earlier claims of some media hawks that the money was paid by the government of Pakistan, it is revealed that the amount was actually arranged by ISI itself. Reports further suggest that few Lahore and Karachi based business tycoons having good relations with the state institutions like ISI, on request by the agency, arranged this money as a good will gesture. All this information regarding how the money was arranged is not a secret inside the country any more, however, the reaction and sustained attitude of Ghairat Brigade is quite astonishing for the independent political observers in the country. Few renowned journalists and a particular media group in their initial response cautiously took line that the issue is resolved in the national interest and in accordance with the laid down principles of Islamic Shariah and the statuary book. Later the said journalists and their colleagues, all part and parcels of Ghairat Brigade, took a complete U-Turn and are constantly making all out efforts to provoke people’s sentiments, but no body is ready to shed his blood on the call of Ghairat Brigade members in media and the political parties as they are aware that apart from the governments at center and province, the ISI, military top brass and Judiciary were taken into confidence before moving ahead to settle the issue. 

A protest against Raymond Davis