FO summons US envoy over Islamabad accident involving American diplomat

• US envoy expresses ‘deep sympathy’ over loss of life
• Funeral prayers held for Atiq Baig

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office (FO) on Sunday summoned United States (US) Ambassador to Pakistan David Hale to record “strong protest” against the killing of a Pakistani citizen by a US diplomat in a road accident in the capital.

On Saturday, a fast-moving SUV, driven by US military attaché, Colonel Joseph Emmanuel, violated the red signal and hit a bike carrying two men.  Twenty-two-year-old Ateeq Baig died on the spot while his cousin Raheel suffered with a leg fracture.

The press release by the FO read that the US ambassador was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a strong protest was lodged by Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua on the tragic death of motorcyclist and injury of co-rider in the traffic accident.

“The US envoy expressed his deep sympathy and sadness over the loss of life and assured that embassy will fully cooperate in the investigation,” the statement read.

Further, the FO conveyed to the envoy that “justice will be done as per law of the land and Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961”.

STUDENT BURIED: 

Earlier in the day, Ateeq Baig was laid to rest in Islamabad. A large number of friends, family and area residents participated in the funeral prayers but no government official or prominent political figure was present.

According to the deceased’s uncle, his nephew was a BA student working at a hotel to make money on the side.

The Kohsar police station has registered a case against the US diplomat on behalf of Baig’s father, Mohammad Idrees. Emmanuel was not arrested due to diplomatic immunity but his vehicle was confiscated by the police.

Idrees told the police that US diplomat violated the red signal at Margalla Road in F8 sector and the accident is also being caught on CCTV camera. “I request the government to provide us justice,” he said while talking to media.

The investigations have been handed over to homicide unit of Punjab police.

AHSAN EXPRESSES GRIEF: 

Federal Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal expressed grief over the killing of a young man after being hit by a United States embassy official’s SUV and said that the issue would be raised with the US ambassador.

In a message posted on Twitter, Ahsan Iqbal said that it was very tragic road incident involving US diplomat in which visibly traffic law was violated resulting in the death of a Pakistani citizen.

He further said that in the tweet that Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been asked to take up the matter with the US ambassador while a case has also been registered.

INCIDENT: 

Baig was killed and his cousin got injured after a vehicle belonging to the US Embassy in Islamabad rammed into a motorcycle on Saturday.

According to details, the accident occurred in the Daman-e-Koh area of the capital in the afternoon when the defence and air attache Col Joseph Emanuel’s vehicle, bearing no QM-058 (64-48) hit the bike bearing no ARM-900. The impact of the accident killed Muhammad Ateeq Baig, son of Muhammad Idrees on the spot, while his cousin Raheel, son of Changez, was injured.

According to police sources, the envoy was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident.

Ateeq, 22-years-old, was working at a local restaurant to support his poor family, which included three brothers and a sister. He was reportedly going to his job near Islamabad Zoo when the diplomat hit his motorcycle.

Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal had said: “An accident involving a US embassy vehicle occurred in Islamabad. Ministry of Foreign Affairs is looking into the matter. Investigations are being carried out.”

THIRD SUCH ACCIDENT:

This is the third road accident in recent years in which US diplomats have hit and killed people in Islamabad, the capital city police said, adding that they got away with it because they had diplomatic immunity.

In July 2010, a US embassy officer attached to the embassy’s Force Protection Department, hit and killed a young man driving a motorcycle on the 7th Avenue.

In February 2013, an administrative assistant at the US embassy hit two motorcyclists with his Land Cruiser near Kohsar Complex at Margalla Avenue. A man was killed and another was injured in the accident.

In November 2010, a member of the US Regional Affairs Office hit another embassy’s vehicle causing damage to both vehicles at Shahrah-e-Jamhuriat near Radio Pakistan.