Asia-Pacific

Pakistani court rejects immunity plea of US shooter

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-03-03 17:11

ISLAMABAD - A court in Pakistan Thursday denied diplomatic immunity to an American undercover secret agent for killing two Pakistani nationals in January, lawyers said.

Raymond Davis shot dead two Pakistanis in the eastern city of Lahore on January 27. Davis had told the police that he fired in self defense but the investigators said he intentionally killed the two men.

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Davis, in a petition, had claimed diplomatic immunity but District judge, Judge Yousaf Ojla, rejected the plea and ruled that Davis has no such documents to substantiate his claim of diplomatic immunity.

The US has been demanding release of Davis, saying that he enjoys diplomatic status. The court's verdict may further complicate the on-going diplomatic row between the two allies.

Lawyer for the slain men, Syed Zahid Hussain Bukhari, said that the court observed that Davis has not submitted such documents to prove that he enjoys diplomatic immunity.

The court has now set to formally charge the US employee and put him on trial.

Lawyer for Davis said he will provide more documents in the next hearing. The Court adjourned the hearing till March 8.

Davis is being tried inside a prison for security concern. US Counsel General in Lahore visited the Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore and witnessed the trial.

Last week Davis had claimed in the court that he enjoys diplomatic status and he can not be tried.