Rehman Malik terms Raymond’s book ‘pack of lies’

ISLAMABAD: Former Interior Minister and senior leader of the PPP Senator Rehman Malik Thursday rejected the newly published book on Raymond Davis and termed it as pack of lies and a conspiracy of Indian agency RAW. 

“I have documentary proofs that Raymond Davis was approached by Indian agency RAW’s Additional Secretary namely Jagnathan Kumar for the writing of book ‘The Contractor’ in order to malign the Pakistan premier agency ISI, Pakistan military and civilian leadership,” he said while addressing a press conference here Thursday.

Rehman Malik, who is also Chairman of the Senate’s Committee on Interior,  said that Raymond Davis was passing through difficult time of his life due to extensive debts and tried to commit suicide not for once but multiple times. “Only last year Raymond Davis was under huge debit of $700,000 and his wife Rebecca has taken separation from him and was dislocated from his hometown,” said Senator Rehman Malik. 

He said that due to his miserable financial condition, Raymond Davis was an easy prey, so he was sponsored by RAW and through a ghostwriter the said book was written.

Senator Rehman Malik said that he is astonished how for a person like Raymond Davis, who was passing through worst financial crisis, it was possible to circulate the book for free across the world. “The book was spread and circulated across the world in pdf form via internet and whatsApp only to malign Pakistan,” he said.

Senator Rehman Malik said that India is continuously hatching conspiracy against Pakistan and Indian Prime Minister Narendra  Modi is campaigning against Pakistan across the world but, sadly, our government is busier in Panama circus and all the ministers are deputed outside the Judicial Academy to defend the Sharrif family while Pakistan is being pushed towards isolation. He revealed that John Kerry actually requested in person to grant diplomatic immunity to Raymond Davis enabling him to return back home, but he categorically denied the request of John Kerry and informed him that he cannot be given diplomatic immunity because he had been working just an ordinary employee in Consoler General, Lahore.“ I clearly told him that Raymond Davis had to face the trial according to law,” he added.

He asked the nation to not fall prey to the Indian conspiracies and do not project the Raymond Davis as a hero, he is nothing but an agent to the RAW.

Senator A. Rehman Malik also revealed in his press conference that he was approached by Dr Fozia Siddiqui, sister of Dr Afia Siddiqui, who proposed that government may consider exchanging Dr Afia Siddiqui with Raymond Davis. “It was a good idea to get Dr Afia Siddiqui back to Pakistan in exchange of Raymond Davis, subject to the clearance of the court, said Rehman Malik. 

Senator Rehman Malik said that with approval of his leadership, he spoke to John Kerry accordingly, who informed that he would take up the matter with Washington and discuss this idea. He said that he waited, but he did not hear anything from John Kerry on this proposal and it looked that as if Americans were not interested to exchange Dr Afia with Raymond Davis and no response was made in writing.  In the meantime a high level meeting was held in the President House and General Pasha informed in the meeting that Americans are more interested to exercise the right of ‘Diyat’ under Islamic Laws for Raymond Davis as per the advice of their lawyers. 

Rehman Malik said the high powered meeting decided that neither Raymond Davis would be deported nor he will be granted diplomatic immunity, and we will wait for the decision of the court in the matter and no action would be taken through any executive order. He said the matter was dealt as per the course of law with the cooperation of the Punjab government duly helped by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Interior and some communication was also done between the Ministry of Interior under him and Punjab government. 

He said that Ministry of Interior ensured full help to the Punjab Government and full cooperation was extended to the Punjab Government and the American Embassy was forced to produce all the witnesses requested by the Punjab government.

He said that it was matter of national interest so all the stakeholders decided in the best interest of the country and as the Punjab government played a positive role; therefore, Shahbaz Sharif, instead of remaining in denial mood and defensive, should proudly accept his role. 

Senator Rehman Malik said that he has all the documentary proofs that what role was played by Punjab government and its leadership in the matter of Raymond Davis but instead of falling prey in the hands of RAW, we should stand together to combat the malicious agenda of India against Pakistan.

He said that he was fully backed by the PPP leadership and other stakeholders, including General Kayani and General Pasha. “No such role was played by then ISI DG in the release of Raymond Davis as claimed by Raymond Davis in his controversial book ‘The Contractor’, said the senator.  He said as the matter was decided in the court of law and Raymond Davis was set free not by Shahbaz Sharif or by the Federal Government, but the court had decided the matter as “Diyat” hence it was decision of court rather executive decision. To a question, Senator A. Rehman Malik replied that he would like to clarify that nobody was of the view to give immunity to Raymond Davis as claimed by Shah Mehmood Qureshi.   Senator A. Rehman Malik said that world war designers are trying to enforce World War-III in the region and the person is being used for the purpose is not other than Indian Prime Minister Narendra  Modi.