Pakistan

US calls death of Faheem’s widow ‘tragedy’

Philip Crowley says the US continues to make clear to Pakistan that Davis has diplomatic immunity.

Afp February 08, 2011

WASHINGTON: The United States on Monday called the suicide of the widower of Muhammad Faheem shot by US citizen Raymond Davis “a tragedy” but renewed calls on the country to free the American. Shumaila, the wife of Faheem, took poisonous pills and died on Sunday in a hospital, doctors and police said.

“We are aware of this and it is clearly a tragedy for that family,” State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told reporters in Washington. But he added: “We continue to make clear to the government of Pakistan that our diplomat has diplomatic immunity; in our view, was acting in self-defence and should be released.” Crowley said the United States raised its concerns at high levels, including during a meeting Monday between President Asif Ali Zardari and US Ambassador Cameron Munter. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also brought up the case during a weekend meeting with General Ashfaq Kayani, the head of Pakistan’s powerful army, at a conference in Munich, Crowley said.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 8^th, 2011.

COMMENTS (4)

khurram kaleem | 13 years ago | Reply I am confused of what is american mission around the world.They are even worse than our talibans and fundamentalist Mullahs. where is all the global rationality gone.The American Dream is about to end in Pakistan and around the middle east very soon.

MAD | 13 years ago | Reply What our American friends do not understand is that releasing their so called diplomat could mean total anarchy and the eventual collapse of the government. also the rising anti-american sentiment would mean whoever takes over would have to take a confrontational approach just to stay in power.

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Clean Pakistan | 13 years ago | Reply The dude is a DoD contractor (his work badge was shown on TV) in possession of maps and spying equipment at the time of arrest... I was appalled to hear US officials calling him a US Diplomat... The two murdered Pakistanis belonged to the intelligence outfit following him to keep an eye on his "non-diplomatic" activities... The 3rd Pakistani murdered was being crushed like an insect in order to save a Blackwater murderer... Wife of one of the killed Pakistanis committed suicide 2 days ago after hearing that the murderer would be handed over to the US without being brought to justice... The murderer has a diplomatic passport but only a business visa not a diplomatic visa, which means Pakistani Govt did't and doesn't consider him a diplomat... Handing over a murderer to the US will be the ultimate injustice and a slap on national honour and dignity of Pakistan... Now the repercussions are very high! Pakistanis must protest and protest they will...

Kamil Bangash | 13 years ago | Reply So, 'diplomats' can commit murder and get away with it? Great idea! Now, the Americans have set another precedent that should be followed around the world in 'diplomatic' circles. It seems to me that this murderer was doing some pretty important work for the US in order for his government to go to the extent of jeopardizing its relations with Pakistan, since the outcome of its war may depend on these relations. Or else, the US government knows that Pakistan has no guts to stand up to it (considering the monetary lifeline for our civil-military oligarchy). Those among Pakistanis, who think it is prudent to let him go, should consider why we should have a separate state at all. Let's just cut all this patriotic crap and return to the Indian fold, which would make a lot more sense.

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