US defence attaché involved in deadly Islamabad road accident leaves Pakistan

Diplomatic sources say Col Hall flew out on a 'special plane'

ISLAMABAD: Two days after the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said it will not let the US attaché who killed a Pakistani youth in a car accident last month leave Pakistan at any cost, the interior ministry allowed Col Joseph Emanuel Hall to fly abroad on Monday evening.

Diplomatic sources told The Express Tribune that Hall left for the United States in 'special plane', but this could not be confirmed officially.

The US defence attaché was given a special permission by the interior ministry, enabling him to fly out of the country from Nur Khan Airbase, sources in relevant quarters said. They also said the Pakistani authorities had requested the United States to revoke Col Hall’s diplomatic immunity so he can be tried in Pakistan without any success.

The US authorities, however, assured Pakistan that the diplomat will be tried in accordance with the Vienna Convention, sources further added.

On Saturday, a special US aircraft arrived at the Nur Khan Airbase to take along the diplomat, who was facing travel restrictions after the April 7 car accident. The reports said Col Joseph was not granted clearance by the FIA to fly abroad.

“Colonel Joseph is on no-fly list. Whatever plane comes [to take along the attaché], we would not allow him to fly,” an official of FIA had told The Express Tribune.

On April 7, Col Joseph jumped a red light at Islamabad’s Daman-e-Koh Chowk and hit a motorcycle. As a result, two riders of the bike suffered injuries and one of them, 22-year-old Ateeq Baig, later died.

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Col Joseph was let go by the Islamabad police in line with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961 which gives diplomat immunity from criminal prosecution. However, a first information report (FIR) of the incident was registered with Kohsar Police Station.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) in a recent ruling had observed that the US military attaché does not enjoy absolute immunity. In its ruling on Friday, the IHC also granted two weeks to the Ministry of Interior to put Col Joseph’s name on Exit Control List (ECL).

Although Colonel Joseph is not on the ECL, his name has been blacklisted by the ministry, barring him to fly abroad. According to the ministry, putting somebody’s name on the ECL is a bit lengthy and complicated process. However, placing anybody’s name on the blacklist has almost the same implications as the ECL.



Diplomatic ties between Pakistan and the US have not been very ideal of late, and some recent developments suggest they are further deteriorating.

After Col Joseph’s issue last month, the US State Department had announced that Pakistani diplomats would only be allowed to move around within the 40km radius in Washington DC. They would need to seek prior permission if they intended to travel beyond the prescribed limit.

Responding to the curbs, Pakistan on Friday imposed tit-for-tat restrictions on the US diplomats in the country.

Despite making attempts, the official version of the Ministry of Interior over giving Colonel Hall clearance and allowing him to fly abroad could not be obtained.