LAHORE – The families of three deceased young men, who became victims of American National Raymond Davis and his friend’s killing spree in Qartaba Chowk located near Mozang Area on Jan 27, have completely refused to accept any compensation less than death sentence to the culprits.
Faheem’s family showed their aggressions to the US Government by refusing to allow the American Consulate to fix a meeting with American Senator John Kerry, who wanted to express grief on Faheem’s death on behalf of American Government. Waseem Shamshad, brother of Faheem Shamshad, while talking to Pakistan Today on Thursday told that American Consulate in Lahore had contacted them on Wednesday.
“Someone from American Consulate in Lahore contacted us via telephone and instructed us to stay at home because American Senator John Kerry wants to meet us”, said Faheem. “We heard his words carefully and without any hesitation stopped him from fixing a meeting with John Kerry who wanted to express grief on uncertain death of Faheem,” he added.
“How could we allow any American to visit our house?” Faheem’s father Shamshad said, adding that it was not just about Faheem and he had lost his unborn grandchild also when Faheem’s pregnant wife committed suicide. “We have lost three precious lives,” he said, “one can compromise their child’s death but not the grandchild’s.” Shamshad and other family of Faheem’s family on this occasion said that they will not accept anything less than death sentence for Raymond Davis.
“Raymond should be penalized according to Pakistani Law”, they further demanded. To a question Waseem said Pakistani government had not forced or pressurized them on the issue. “However we know that since American Senator John Kerry has come, the government will sooner or later ask us to settle the matter with him,” he added. The American Consulate has not contacted Faizan’s family. Faizan’s brother Imran Haider told Pakistan Today that no one had contacted them.
He said that they too do not want to see anyone until Court decides the case. “It has been decided unanimously by all the family members that we will not accept anything less that death sentence to Raymond Davis”, Imran added. The family of Ibad-ur-Rehman was also not contacted for condolence. Sajjad-ul-Rehman, brother of Ibad, told Pakistan Today that they have not received any call from anyone in this regard. To a query he said that it is premature to say anything that they will accept any offer or not and only Mian Shahbaz Sharif had visited them and assured them of speedy justice.
He said though law enforcement agencies have nabbed Raymond Davis but his friends, who in a bid to rescue Raymond Davis, knocked down and killed one Ibad-ul-Rehman resident of Gulshan-e-Ravi, are still at large and American Consulate in Lahore has not responded to the letters written by Punjab Government or Lahore Police for handing over the accused involved in killing Ibad-ul-Rehman. “We are quite satisfied of Lahore Police’s efforts for arresting the killers of Ibad”, he added. “Investigators have showed us detailed file of the investigation prepared in the case”, he said. “Investigators have collected strong evidences against the killers who have knocked down and killed Ibad”, he further more added. Earlier, a protest demonstration under the auspice of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) staged a sit-in at Mozang Chungi (Qurtaba Chowk.
The families of the deceased expressed deep concerns over the grant of 3-week long relaxation to the foreign Office for submitting reply regarding the diplomatic immunity to the killer and termed it as “a period for preparation of fake documents to prove Raymond innocent.”
Heirs of Raymond’s victims swear not to compromise
