ISLAMABAD – Washington was ‘hardly obliged’ after US diplomat Col JosephHall’s flight back home as they believe they have ‘paid’ for the deal.
One official said: “They will pay compensation and are expected to grantvisas to the family members of the victims, so they think they have ‘doneenough’ to secure Hall’s release.”
He added: “The expected amount to be given to the victim family is $50,000.In addition, they will be granted visas to settle in the US and work there.”
On May 14, Pakistan allowed Colonel Hall to fly back home after reaching anunderstanding with Washington. The US diplomat was flown back to hiscountry in a special plane via Afghanistan.
Hall was briefly arrested on April 7 after running a red light and ramminga motorcycle with his vehicle, killing a Pakistani man and wounding twoothers. Ateeq Baig, 22, had died on the spot. His cousin, Raheel, suffereda leg fracture and another was wounded. The police had registered a caseagainst the American diplomat at the Kohsar police station on behalf ofBaig’s father, Mohammed Idrees.
He however had to be released by police as the Vienna Convention onDiplomatic Relations, 1961 provided the diplomat immunity from criminalprosecution. The Islamabad High Court had later ruled that Colonel Hall didnot have ‘absolute immunity.’ The court had also granted two weeks to theMinistry of Interior to decide over placing his name on the Exit ControlList.
Originally, Pakistan had refused to allow Hall to fly back home in aspecial plane sent by his country over the weekend. Hall’s family waspermitted to leave. But after reaching an understanding with the victimfamily, the authorities invoked his diplomatic immunity to let him fly.
Relations between Washington and Islamabad have been in the spotlight sinceUS President Donald Trump’s New Year’s Day tweet, where he accused Pakistanof ‘lies and deceit.’
Amid tension, Pakistan last week issued a new travel permission regime forthe American diplomats, restricting their movement and revoking unduefacilities across the country.