ISLAMABAD – Condemning the release of Raymond Davis on Wednesday, the PML-Q, JI, JUI-F, PTI and PML-Q Likeminded alleged that both the federal and Punjab governments were responsible for clandestine arrangements to save the Raymond Davis. PML-Q Information Secretary Kamil Ali Agha said both the federal and provincial governments had played their role to get Davis released.
“The Punjab government pressurised the heirs of victims to accept blood money,” he said, adding that both federal and provincial governments should have also charged Davis for espionage. “He had also committed some other crimes against the whole nation and country for which he should have also been prosecuted by the government,” he added.
Jamaat-e-Islami chief Syed Munawar Hassan said PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif were responsible for Davis’ release. He said the JI would hold protest demonstrations across the country to condemn Davis’ release. Senator Khurshid Ahmed of the JI said Davis was released with the connivance of the federal and provincial governments and the military establishment.
“The judge who released Davis in fact murdered law and justice…,” he said. Maulana Amjad Khan of the JUI-F said Davis was released in a “very non-transparent manner”, which indicated that the rulers lacked the capability to resist US pressure. “There is no doubt that it was a case of murder of two Pakistanis….. But it had turned into a case of national pride and Davis was released in unjustifiable haste,” he added.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf Chairman Imran Khan said his party would hold protest demonstration on Friday against Davis’ release. “It was not a case of simple murder, it was an act of terrorism against which the state should have been the complainant,” he said, adding that the release of Davis was a pre-planned act of the federal and provincial governments. He said Davis’ release had proven that the rulers were servants of the US and had no courage to say no to the US.
Former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Davis’ release under Qisas or Diyat law had proven his stance that Davis did not enjoy diplomatic immunity. “Initially, Americans propagated that Davis enjoyed diplomatic immunity, but the US government’s settlement of Davis issue under Islamic laws has proven that the initial US stance was unjust,” he added. PML-N Senator Pervaiz Rashid rebutted all charges against the Punjab government.
“It was a purely judicial verdict and the Punjab government never forced anyone to settle the matter under Qisas or Diyat law,” he said, adding the Punjab government had honestly fulfilled its duty of getting Davis charged by a court of law. Lala Nisar of the PML-Q Likeminded said the entire nation was ashamed of the decision. PPP Punjab General Secretary Samiullah Khan said the federal government’s stance on Davis case was clear, as it had stated that the courts would decide the fate of the accused and it would respect the court’s verdict.
The Sunni Ittehad Council said Davis’ release was an act of sedition and was against Islamic laws. In a statement given by the council on Wednesday, it declared, “As per Islamic law, neither Diyat can be given nor can amnesty be availed forcefully,” therefore such culprit must be punished sternly after trying him under the terrorism act. JUI’s Sahibzada Fazl-e-Karim said the rulers had sold the blood of the Pakistani nation and people would not forgive them for the shameful act.
