Court Releases Raymond Davis Suddenly and Controversially
Raymond Davis Not to be Tried for Espionage as Requested by Punjab Government
New Twist in Raymond Dais Case – Doctor Claims Davis Meant to Assassinate Him
Wednesday evening (March 16, 2011) saw the drop scene of the Raymond Davis drama as the trial court in Lahore hearing the Davis case freed him in a manner that evoked controversy, protest, and questions.
As the news had it all over media last evening, Davis was going to be tried for double murder in Lahore on January 27, 2011, and the court set up at the jail where Davis was held had formally announced his indictment yesterday morning. But then, almost suddenly, TV channels broke the news that Dais had been freed by the court since the families of the two young men killed by Davis on 27th January had pardoned Dais after accepting compensation as Diyat “blood money” from Davis’s side.
The lawyers in Davis’s case claimed that the affected families had been forced to sign the pardon declaration. Even the lawyers themselves were locked in the jail’s waiting room and not allowed to attend the court hearing until Davis had been freed by court order. Immediately, Davis was flown out of the country by a special plane waiting for him on Lahore airbase.
Pakistani news sources claim that they have information that the affected families were paid a sum of 2.4 million US dollars as compensation in order to get Davis pardoned. However, almost immediately after Davis was flown out of the country, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton denied that any money had been paid by the US. The affected families could not be reached by any media as they have mysteriously left the country, according to newspapers.
This morning, however, The Express Tribune reported that the release of Davis had been planned well in advance to take place the way it did. Also, that the federal government, the provincial government of Punjab, and Pakistan’s intelligence agencies all were parties to Davis’s planned release.
Public protests started in major cities – Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar – almost immediately after the news of Davis’s release was given out by the media. Talk shows exclusively focused on the issue and one interesting show that I watch, Crossfire with Meher Bokhari, raising some daring questions about the integrity of Pakistan’s political leadership and judiciary as evident from Davis’s release. More is expected to be heard, watched, and read as the story’s thread unfolds through news updates.
