A murderer escapes

It was shocking to know that the US Military Attache Colonel Joseph Emanuel Hall, who is accused of killing a 22-year-old man after he ran a red light in Islamabad last month, left for the US without facing any trial. I have failed to understand the worthlessness of the blood of Pakistani citizens. The US government values its own citizens but not ours. It is time we reviewed our actions and ensured that rule of law is maintained. This incident calls for an urgent suo motu notice.

Diplomatic immunity should not be expanded to an attaché in the first place, but not matter who it is granted to, the immunity must end when a diplomat kills an innocent man in the host country. Valuing one man’s blood over another is simply inhumane. It is high time all the diplomatic and consular privileges laws were reviewed and amended.

Khalid Mustafa

Islamabad

*****

Colonel Joseph, the US military attache in Islamabad, who crushed a motorcyclist to death last month, was allowed to return to his home country by the Pakistani authorities. His departure was officially confirmed only after he had left. His name was also not placed on the exit control list (ECL) despite a petition being filed to this effect in the court.

It seems that the Pakistani nation is an orphan, has no leadership and no one wants to own it. We have become easy targets to be kicked and punched around, and appeased, whenever the others countries feel the need. It feels like we have been born in the most maligned country in the world, which is disowned, despised, isolated and abused up to the hilt. We are to even find out the meaning of ‘sovereignty’.

Huma Arif

Karachi