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CIA station chief’s diplomatic status remains ambiguous
US Embassy, FO tight-lipped
US Embassy, FO tight-lipped
ISLAMABAD - Ambiguity prevails on diplomatic status of the US embassy official, named as CIA station chief in Pakistan and accused of ‘committing the gross offences of murder and waging a war against Pakistan’ by PTI, the ruling party in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday.
His name along with that of the CIA director was nominated by PTI Central Information Secretary Dr Shirin Mazari for inclusion in the already registered FIR No 555 at Thal police station in a drone attack on Hangu madrassa last week that killed four Pakistani students and two members of the Haqqani group.
PTI’s position is that the CIA station chief is not a diplomatic post and therefore he does not enjoy immunity from prosecution under the laws of Pakistan. That even though the CIA station chief is not a Pakistani citizen, he is subject to prosecution and trial for offences under Pakistan Penal Code.
However, the CIA station chief’s official status here was not verified by the US embassy in Islamabad and the Foreign Office. Official spokespersons of both when contacted Thursday remained tight-lipped and evasive on this key question that would determine whether he is entitled to immunity.
Both the spokespersons remained non-committal when asked if the named CIA station chief was here on a diplomatic or non-diplomatic visa. The Foreign Office spokesperson Aizaz Ahmed said he would have to check with the concerned colleague and get back.
“I can’t comment on these questions,” was the US embassy spokesperson’s response when asked about the CIA station chief’s affiliation with the embassy.
However, the US embassy spokesperson underlined: “It is critically important that we continue to work closely with our partners throughout the world, helping to build their law enforcement capacity to carry out counter-terrorism operations in their own countries.”
It is learnt that the nomination of the CIA station chief by the PTI central information secretary has raised serious concern in the US embassy about his “personal security”. Hence the US embassy declined to comment when asked if he was currently in Pakistan. There are indications that the US Administration will raise this concern with the authorities here.
Fearing that the CIA station chief nominated as an accused in the Hangu drone attack FIR might attempt to flee the country, PTI has proposed that the interior ministry places his name on the Exit Control List.
In 2010, Washington had recalled its chief spy from Pakistan amid threats that followed a lawsuit filed against him.
According to informed sources diplomatic, legal and security implications of this potentially politically explosive case were discussed in key government quarters Thursday including the interior, defence and law ministries. This issue also figured in the military establishment and the premier security institution.
This could become another major foreign policy challenge for the government like the case of Raymond Davis, a CIA operative who killed two Pakistanis in January 2011 allegedly in self-defence.
CIA station chief’s diplomatic status remains ambiguous
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Where are Minister of Information and Interior Minister on this issue?
