FBI agent Joel Cox. PHOTO: INP
The FBI agent, Joel Cox, was arrested at the Karachi airport on May 5 for carrying ammunition. He was later released on bail on May 8.
A district judge in Karachi, Hasan Ali Kalwar, quashed the case after police failed to present any evidence against the agent.
Cox was presented before district court Malir and the police presented a final report regarding the case after which the court gave the order. On May 10, the court had ordered the police to submit the final challan today (Monday). In the final report the police had said that this whole situation had occurred because of a misunderstanding.
Kalwar said police had invoked an incorrect section of the law.
"He was not carrying any weapon but was carrying only the bullets and magazines," the judge was quoted as saying by a court official.
During the hearing of the FBI agent case today, the court also ordered that his belongings be returned to him.
Police did not pursue the case after the interior ministry informed them that the agent was authorised to carry the ammunition, police officer Khalid Mehmood told AFP.
A letter from the US embassy was also presented before the court by the FBI agent's lawyers. The letter stated that Cox was on a mission and was allowed to carry the ammunition.
Cox was travelling from Karachi to Islamabad by PK-308 on the evening of May 5 when a routine search by Airport Security Force (ASF) staff at the Jinnah International Airport found 15 bullets and a magazine in his bags.
He was detained before being handed over to the airport police station. A case was lodged against him under Section 23 1(a) of the Sindh Arms Act, 2013. When he was presented before the district Malir court the following day, the court had sent him into judicial remanded till May 10.
The district and sessions court Malir had released Cox after the payment of a surety bond worth Rs1,000,000.
COMMENTS (36)
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What case ?
ok...if our ..oh Pakistani Police were mistaken and so were the airport officials ( wonder why there wasn'nt any pre-hand info for any official arriving and that too from US !! ) just wish how many more such incidents would occur and how many years would it take that we ( Pakistan) would recover from this US-Love affair and we...our government would stop submitting to them !!
@Mirza: "Minor Crime" Dear Mirza, Perhaps you are correct, but my advise is not to try a similar minor crime if you are visiting New York. Several unfortunate things could happen to you, but at the very least you would probably be imprisoned for approximately 99 years.
When our courts have not punished a single terrorist, fanatic killer for lack of evidence how can they punish one man for a small crime? Our country does not even have a punishment for high treason how can petty crimes against rich foreigners be severely punished? There should be hefty fines for violation of airline rules and put the name on record. He has not committed any crime and there was no intention or proof of that. Our Arab brothers have been bringing in many weapons and openly cleaning the country of it flora and fauna without a hint of punishment.
These was the game between agencies........simple is that
@Dr. Asad Sadick, Germany: "If today I were a German, I would say, “Thank God I am not a Pakistani”." . As a Paki one has to show far greater generousity to our guest. He ought to be invited by the PM, for a Nihaari breakfast.. In a hurry to catch his flight back home if he runs over a couple of people, we should simply look the other way.
@Chachoo: Not only the accused but all his family and relatives has been arrested and had been taken to undisclosed place and later dead bodies has been found at remote places !
@Ch. Allah Daad: To what lengths you will go to cover the incompetency of your Interior Minister? Let me tell you, you end up making it worse for yourself and the party you support.
"A district judge in Karachi, Hasan Ali Kalwar, quashed the case after police failed to present any evidence against the agent".....just a mockery of justice system, we are simply doomed !!!
@@umair409: Hollywood is a strong medium for propaganda.
@Ch. Allah Daad: that's not true, keep arms and bullets while going on plane will give you some years punishment.
We are making mockery of our own Judicial system and allowing other to laugh on us and on laws and then how we expect them to respect our laws even when they roam freely killing innocent people just on the basis of suspicion. They will never respect our laws if we'll keep making joke of our own laws.
Did we expect anything different? Dr Afia Siddiqui was kidnapped, tortured, assaulted, falsely imprisoned and shot by US agents who have never been held to account. Additionally, after all her mistreatment she was shipped to America, given a trial New York style, and sentenced to 86 years imprisonment. Also the court let Lahore double murderer Raymond Davis go home to America scot-free, where he is happily living a blame free life. Unbelievable.
"......A district judge in Karachi, Hasan Ali Kalwar, quashed the case after police failed to present any evidence against the agent....." LOL :-)
@Ch. Allah Daad: "It was a minor incident. If the guy had not been an American, it would have been no news"
I am not surprised you made this comment.
i was seriously hoping pakistan pursue this case and give americans a stern reply that laws are same for everybody and that u are no different breed....u need to act against them to send a message..... or else be treated like a slave.....
FBI agent was in Pakistan helping Pakistan law enforcement at bequest of Pakistan. He was authorized to carry weapon and ammo in Pakistan and likely was unaware that he couldn't carry ammo on an airplane which is different than the USA were an FBI agent can. No big deal - much to do about nothing. Lots of anti American blather -- typical of Pakistan.
If it was PPP or Musharraf's government, PMLN friendly media and anchors whould have blown it out of proportion. Now its a back page news and not worth the topic of any talk show. Long live Pakistani style media freedom.
Oh God, there is no justice in this country. Simply shameful.
@usman786: No thank you. We are better off one terrorist less!
@usman786:
the pakistani government should not negotiate on the behalf of proven associates of terrorism.
If today I were a German, I would say, "Thank God I am not a Pakistani".
This was unnecessary drama from the beginning.
Food for thought, just imagine if a Pakistani was flying in the US with bullets. What would happen?
"The letter stated that Cox was on a mission and was allowed to carry the ammunition."
I wonder what that mission might be that would require use of lethal force.
A letter from the US embassy was also presented before the court by the FBI agent’s lawyers. The letter stated that people on mission were allowed to keep weapons with them.
What mission? Killing innocent Pakistanis like Raymond Davis Did ? Or Finding way to reach & destroy Pakistani nukes ? Or killing ISI agents ? What mission?
Hahahaha "letter stated that people on mission were allowed to keep weapons with them."... Oh wow.. Have we reached this level of submissiveness that we actually take orders from America? Not that I'm complaining. They could probably rule us better than our own people have for the last few decades!
I wonder who's bank account got a boost ?.....or was it just the ' servant ' complying to the ' masters ' orders.
It was a minor incident. If the guy had not been an American, it would have been no news.
Another Raymond Davis goes scot free. What assignment was he on Mr. Interior minister?
We are getting use to of it! By the way I thoiught it was not the case of carrying arms, rather carrying them on a plane. I think I misunderstood. US citizen can carry arms anywhere in Pakistan and can freely use it too!
What was the confusion which police is referring to? Who has allowed people on mission to keep arms and move freely with them? It is such a shame that we allow people to hunt our rare breed of birds, keep arms and move freely in the country and our media is too much focused on this geo controversy and everything else goes unnoticed.
atleast we should have bargained well for Dr Afia
In normal circumstances FBI agents are not that smart as depicted in Hollywood movies.
Just imagine if he would be an Ordinary Poor Pakistani.!!!! Why We are forced to believe that Pakistan is a playground for the rich, powerful ,elite and foreign players while Ordinary Pakistanis are here to serve as slaves only?