Islamabad motorists hit by US Embassy car erred, diplomat let go: police

ISLAMABAD: Two motorists were wounded after the car of a United States embassy's official rammed into their motorcycle late Sunday night, Geo News reported, citing sources and a hospital spokesperson.

The four-wheel drive jeep of the US diplomat, identified as the Embassy's Second Secretary Chad Rex Ausburn, crashed into the motorbike at 9:40 PM Sunday night, near Secretariat Roundabout here on the city's Shahrah-e-Dastoor.

The motorcyclists, who were immediately shifted to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital, were declared to be no longer in critical condition. They were identified as Nazakat Aslam Awan and Muhammad Waseem.

While Ausburn, the American driver, was moved to the Secretariat Police Station and officials said he would not be released until they received a written letter from the Foreign Office, sources said he was let go late night.

Further, Najeeb-ur-Rehman, the senior superintendent of police (SSP) of operations for Islamabad, said authorities were analysing the incident and taking assistance from the traffic police as well.

Those responsible for this accident will be punished as per the law, he said, adding that the Foreign Office had been briefed on the incident.

On the other hand, Dr Waseem Khawaja, the spokesperson for PIMS Hospital, told media that both Awan and Waseem were out of danger after being administered first aid.

Awan had received injuries to the head, while Waseem had internal wounds, Dr Khawaja added.

Police let the US diplomat go after recording his statement. A case has been registered against the people riding motorcyclists for driving recklessly. The FIR states that the motorcyclists came in front of jeep of a sudden which caused the collision. 

Moreover, Secretariat police have registered a case against US embassy security officer Taimoor Iqbal. The FIR states that the Iqbal attacked duty officer and pushed him, adding that efforts were made to stop the vehicle from being impounded to the police station. 

Earlier this month, on April 8, the car of US Defence and Air Attaché Joseph Emanuel Hall had run a red light in the federal capital, ramming into a motorcycle. The crash killed one person on the spot and injured another.

The Foreign Office had later summoned the US Ambassador to Pakistan David Hale to protest the killing of the young man.

Tehmina Janjua, Pakistan's foreign secretary, had consequently recorded a strong protest with the US envoy, who, in response, expressed grief over the incident and assured US embassy's full cooperation with regard to investigating the incident, a spokesperson of the Foreign Office had said.

The diplomat was let go by police after registration of a case after the Foreign Office (FO) said he enjoyed diplomatic immunity.

The victim's family then petitioned the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking the placement of the diplomat's name on the Exit Control List.

The court had observed that diplomatic immunity does not permit killing someone.

On April 24, however, the federal government informed the court that the diplomat could neither be arrested nor tried. Raja Khalid, the deputy attorney-general (DAG), had asserted that the diplomat’s name was in the "blacklist" so he could not leave the country.

However, placing the official’s name in the ECL was a "long process", Khalid had said, adding that the Vienna Convention ensured immunity to any accident of diplomats occurring during official duty.

"A trial can only be held if the immunity is withdrawn," the reply stated further.