Pakistan

Clinton denies paying compensation to victims’ family

Hillary Clinton says US govt did not pay the blood money that led to Davis' pardon.

Reuters March 16, 2011

LAHORE: The US government did not pay any compensation to the families of two Pakistanis killed by Raymond Davis, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Wednesday.

"The United States did not pay any compensation," Clinton told reporters in Cairo. Asked who paid the families, she replied: "You will have to ask the families."

Asked if the Pakistani government had paid compensation, the US secretary of state said: "you will have to ask the Pakistani government."

On a separate occasion, Senator John Kerry has pledged to strengthen America's relationship with Pakistan.

He said Raymond Davis' release is an important and necessary step for both countries to be able to maintain their relationship and remain focused on progress and that he is deeply grateful for the Pakistani decision to release Davis.

COMMENTS (19)

Waseem Baluch | 13 years ago | Reply @Yelmaz: "his" guilt is not an issue at all. he shoot on the two armed persons who posed threat to his life. Paying "blood money" also not an issue. America's coward approach towards their own interests in the region is the issue.

Blunt! | 13 years ago | Reply Clinton denies paying compensation to victims’ family. Well, obviously the US would have rather asked Pakistan Government to pay on their behalf. And given the fact that they are mere puppets at US's disposal, they would have gladly obliged!

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

SA | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistanis are born to lose lives :>!!

Sonam Shyam | 13 years ago | Reply The release of Raymond Davis was always on the cards and its hardly come as a surprise in India. Well Folks, we need to understand the fact that Pakistan is a sovereign nation only when it deals with India, otherwise it is the most if I may use the word, "Sellable" nation in the world. All this charade of Pakistani sovereignty and high pitched noises about Raymond Davis being a murderer, worthy of highest punishment under the Pakistani laws, was a tool of raising the stakes to unprecedented levels and to extract the maximum "Blood Money" for the Pakistani Generals and civilian elites. Now compare this with the Pakistani dealings with India. Pakistanis are religiously protecting terrorists accused of heinous crimes in India and that hall of infamy includes Dawood Ibrahim, Hafeez Saeed, Zaki ur Rehman Lakhvi, Masood Azhar, Syed Salahuddin etc. All these "Gentlemen" are protected by Pakistan and given security at Pakistani tax payers money, only because Pakistan is a sovereign country which can't bow to Indian pressure. Pakistani sovereignty is India centric; otherwise any nation can throw money and get their jobs done. The bargaining in the Raymond Davis case was so brazen that it only cements the belief that Pakistan is a failed state and the army Generals are calling the shots. Cheer Up guys! The "Ghairat Brigade" has released Davis in supreme national interest of Pakistan.

Babloo | 13 years ago | Reply Facts 1. Pak agencies/army detained the lawyer of the victims family and imposed its own lawyer that did the so called deal. The money I think is paid by ISI itself who may have not left any attractive choice for the family to accept but to accept the deal. The money paid is supposedly distributed among 19 claimants. The judiciary in Pakistan is an abject servent of ISI. They sometime put on a comical show for the public. Here are some facts from NY Times. "The lawyer previously representing the families, Asad Manzoor Butt, said Wednesday that his clients had become impossible to reach by phone. When he arrived with a colleague to attend Wednesday’s court hearing, he said, he was held in a room for four hours and not permitted to enter the courtroom or meet with the families. Meanwhile, Mr. Irshad arrived from Islamabad just in time, as the lower court judge was beginning proceedings to indict Mr. Davis. The lawyer presented the judge with a signed agreement under which both families accepted cash payments and agreed to drop the murder charges. It remains unclear whether the families were coerced into accepting the deal, but the government clearly maneuvered to separate them from Mr. Butt and the religious parties that have been demonstrating against the release of the American contractor. Mr. Butt said he had offered his services to the families for free at the request of members of the religious party, Jamaat-e-Islami. ...

s.g. Jilanee | 13 years ago | Reply Madame is right. The money was paid by her agent, Saudi Arabia. Remember, at one call from Col. North the Saudis had coughed up $1 million to help the contras in Nicaragua during Regan's time because Congress would not fund the covert war. And now, to reduce America's budget deficit KSA has placed a $60 billion purchase order military aircraft.

Mirza | 13 years ago | Reply The master (US) does not need to pay anything. Their Saudi servents did the dirty work for the US. Pakistani independent judiciary settled this case under the Islamic Sharia Law. I don't understand what is this fuss against Islamic way of paying blood money? You cannot pick and choose Islam and its parts. Either put up or shut up. Mirza, USA

Reddy | 13 years ago | Reply Two things have been proved here. Your American lady friend is a straight faced liar. The cost of two insignificant Pakistani lives = The killers freedom. And you say you are a free country !!!!!!!

Yelmaz | 13 years ago | Reply I think the reason for her saying this is clear - If she admits to paying the blood money, she's admitting to his guilt.

Waseem Baluch | 13 years ago | Reply Second stupid utterance in one week. earlier this lady had "informed" us that America had provided "coolant" to the Japanese Nuclear Power Plant on Japan's request." I thank God for He did not let this Genius become the president. She has in fact completely been failed to handle this CIA contractor's case. Ultimately this mater will be discussed in the Congress and this lady must be prepared to face it there too. unlike journalists, american law makers have authority to ask her to state the facts about this deal.

Wollstonecraft | 13 years ago | Reply No one can force a Green Card or $$$$ down someone's throat. If money or citizenship was offered, it was accepted by the family. Who's fault is it? Stop whinging and get on with your life.

Ruhina Hashmi | 13 years ago | Reply My fear is this: for this one man - Davis - how many innocent Pakistanis will lose their lives? May Allah have mercy on my people!! Ameen!

adeel qadri | 13 years ago | Reply y just zardari.. shehbaz sharif.. and malik... y not ISI and Kiyani and pasha?? all paid puppets..why not we handover this country to US... or give it to China...rather Bangladesh can handle us better now...

Meekal Ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply I have never said this but I do wish that she would shut-up.

MKB | 13 years ago | Reply They have to deny they paid anything. If they accept that they made payment, then it is a technical acceptance of the fact that they also conceded his non-diplomatic status.

Surya | 13 years ago | Reply i think they detected the blood money from bail out package.so america thinks its actually pakistan that paid the ransom. With a billion dollar package, just shelling out few thousand dollar wont make a big difference. Mr 10% president is too good to zeal a deal. i would say, he could be a wonderful sales manager if he lands up a job in corporates. So all starts well, ends well for usa.

saad hafeez | 13 years ago | Reply another twist in this bizzare story! will we ever come to know the truth?

G. Din | 13 years ago | Reply @Babloo: Does it really matter? Those who think that the curtain has been dropped on this affair could not be more wrong. The fat lady has not yet sung. Pakistan will pay dearly for this unnecessary drama in ways more than one!

Babloo | 13 years ago | Reply This is a big farce and a sordid drama. Did the US issue green cards to the families ? Did the US ask the Saudis to pay ? Were the families paid in fake currency by the agencies ?

Replying to X