‘Diplomatic immunity’: US diplomat set free after six hours of detention
William Charles held for possession of a magazine, bullets.
PESHAWAR:
An American national was set free on Tuesday after six hours of detention in a Peshawar police station for possessing a magazine and bullets in his luggage.
The man, held by the Airport Security Force (ASF) at the Bacha Khan International Airport, was later identified as a US diplomat and freed because he enjoyed diplomatic immunity, police said.
Sources within the ASF revealed that the US citizen William Arthur Charles – who was scheduled to fly from Peshawar to Islamabad – was held for carrying seventeen rounds of ammunition in his luggage and was handed over to the police.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Tahir Ayyub confirmed the reports and said: “The diplomat was leaving for Islamabad from Peshawar but was detained by the ASF when around 16-17 nine mm bullets were recovered from his luggage”.
The US diplomat was later shifted to Police Station West where officers of the foreign office and US Consulate were also contacted to certify the diplomatic status of the man in custody.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Cantt Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Shabihul Hassain said: “Law does not allow arresting a diplomat. And since the US citizen possessed a diplomatic passport he enjoyed diplomatic immunity.”
The ASP said officers of the foreign ministry and US Consulate confirmed the diplomatic status of the man, so he was set free.
When contacted, spokesperson for the US Embassy informed The Express Tribune that the US diplomat was an employee of the US Embassy and was temporarily working in Peshawar.
“We are in close contact with the Pakistani officials about details of this case,” the spokesperson said.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2012.
An American national was set free on Tuesday after six hours of detention in a Peshawar police station for possessing a magazine and bullets in his luggage.
The man, held by the Airport Security Force (ASF) at the Bacha Khan International Airport, was later identified as a US diplomat and freed because he enjoyed diplomatic immunity, police said.
Sources within the ASF revealed that the US citizen William Arthur Charles – who was scheduled to fly from Peshawar to Islamabad – was held for carrying seventeen rounds of ammunition in his luggage and was handed over to the police.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Tahir Ayyub confirmed the reports and said: “The diplomat was leaving for Islamabad from Peshawar but was detained by the ASF when around 16-17 nine mm bullets were recovered from his luggage”.
The US diplomat was later shifted to Police Station West where officers of the foreign office and US Consulate were also contacted to certify the diplomatic status of the man in custody.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Cantt Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Shabihul Hassain said: “Law does not allow arresting a diplomat. And since the US citizen possessed a diplomatic passport he enjoyed diplomatic immunity.”
The ASP said officers of the foreign ministry and US Consulate confirmed the diplomatic status of the man, so he was set free.
When contacted, spokesperson for the US Embassy informed The Express Tribune that the US diplomat was an employee of the US Embassy and was temporarily working in Peshawar.
“We are in close contact with the Pakistani officials about details of this case,” the spokesperson said.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2012.