ISLAMABAD - The United States is likely to pay “blood money” to the victim families of the April 7 accident involving US Military Attaché Colonel Joseph Emmanuel, diplomatic sources said.

Colonel Emmanuel was driving the car when the accident took place on April 7.

The diplomat was released by police after brief detention; however, the vehicle of the US consulate was shifted to the police station.

Ateeq Baig, 22, died on the spot. His cousin, Raheel, suffered a leg fracture and another was wounded.

The police registered a case against the American diplomat at the Kohsar Police Station on behalf of Baig’s father, Mohammed Idrees.

The statements of the survivors and Baig’s father were recorded by the police.

On Sunday, Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua summoned US Ambassador David Hale to lodge a strong protest on the tragic death of the motorcyclist and serious injury to the co-rider in the traffic accident that involved the US diplomat.

“The US ambassador expressed his deep sympathy and sadness over the loss of life and assured that the embassy would fully cooperate in the investigation. 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,” said a foreign ministry statement.

Meanwhile, the US embassy expressed “deep sympathy” to the family of the deceased and those injured in a tragic traffic accident involving a US embassy vehicle. 

“Embassy officials are cooperating with local authorities who are investigating the accident,” said a spokesperson of the embassy.

Diplomatic sources told The Nation that talks were on for payment of “blood money” or compensation to the families of the deceased and the survivors.

One source said: “Since the diplomat enjoys immunity, no legal action can be taken against him. The only option left is to pay compensation to the victims. There should be some good compensation.”

Another diplomat said: “This is a different case than Raymond Davis as that was a planned killing and this is only an accident. Hopefully the case will be settled through talks.”

On January 27, 2011, Davis, a Central Intelligence Agency contractor, shot two men in Lahore.

A car coming to rescue Davis killed a third man in a hit-and-run, while speeding on the wrong side of the road.

Davis was arrested.

His detention severely strained relations between the US and Pakistan.

It raised anti-American emotion to an all-time high in Pakistan.

Later, the CIA contractor was released on March 16 that year as the families of the two deceased men “pardoned” him after receiving “blood money”.

Judges then acquitted him on all charges and Davis immediately returned to the US.

Relations between the United States and Pakistan have been strained in recent years.

The US alleges that Pakistan’s shelters some militant groups who were waging war in Afghanistan.

Pakistan rejects the claim.

The US Bureau of Industry and Security, Commerce imposed the sanctions on the Pakistani companies by placing them on its “Entity List”.

The companies had been “determined by the US government to be acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States,” the bureau said in a report.

The Department of Commerce’s “Entity List” does not freeze assets but requires that the US and foreign companies doing business with those on the list first obtain a license.

 

 

US likely to pay ‘blood money’ to accident victim families