ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has put an American diplomat Col Joseph Emanuel Hall, who recently killed a motorcyclist and his pillion passenger in a road accident, on a black list to prevent him from leaving the country, revealed Deputy Attorney General Raja Khalid on Tuesday as he appeared in Islamabad High Court, which is looking into the tragic incident.
Khalid told the court that placing the US diplomat’s name on the exit control list would entail a lengthy procedure, adding that it was not even possible to put him on trial in Pakistan since he enjoyed diplomatic immunity under the Vienna Convention.
Hall, who is stationed in Islamabad where he works with the US Embassy as defense attaché, killed a Pakistani national, Atiq Baig, and injured his cousin, Raheel Ahmed, when he jumped a red light in his SUV and crashed into the other vehicle.
The incident took place on April 7, creating a sense of resentment among Pakistanis who have also witnessed unsavory incidents involving American diplomats in the past.
While the police rushed to the accident site, they could not accomplish much since Hall refused to step out of his vehicle or take an alcohol test.
The court was particularly riled by the way the law enforcement agency handled the issue, expressing displeasure with its officials and even observing that they “trembled” to see a foreigner.
The road accident happened at a time when US-Pakistan relations had already touched a new low.
The two countries have been trying to resolve a host of security and diplomatic issues. Their relations remain frosty, though a senior State Department official, Alice Wells, was in the federal capital just days ago to continue official engagements between the two countries.
Pakistan puts US diplomat on black list for killing biker in road accident
Pakistan puts US diplomat on black list for killing biker in road accident
- Col Joseph Emanuel Hall, defense attaché at the US embassy in Islamabad, killed a Pakistani national, Atiq Baig, when he jumped a red light in his SUV and crashed into the motorbike.
- Placing the US diplomat’s name on exit control list will entail a lengthy procedure, Deputy Attorney General tells the court.
Pakistan Navy seizes $3 million of narcotics in Arabian Sea under regional security patrol
- Official statement says the haul was made during an anti-narcotics operation conducted by PNS Yamama
- Seizure comes after a record haul of nearly $972 million was reported in the North Arabian Sea in October
KARACHI: Pakistan Navy said on Sunday a patrol vessel operating in the Arabian Sea had seized 1,500 kg of narcotics, the latest interdiction under a regional maritime security deployment aimed at curbing illicit activity along key shipping routes.
The operation took place under the Regional Maritime Security Patrol (RMSP), a Pakistan-led initiative that deploys naval assets across the Arabian Sea and adjoining waters to deter smuggling, piracy and other non-traditional security threats.
The framework combines independent patrols with coordination involving regional and international partners.
“Pakistan Navy Ship Yamama, while deployed on Regional Maritime Security Patrol in the Arabian Sea, successfully conducted an anti-narcotics operation, leading to the seizure of 1,500 kilograms of hashish valued at approximately 3 million US dollars,” the Navy said.
The interdiction, it added, underscored the force’s “unwavering commitment to combating illicit activities and ensuring security in the maritime domain.”
Pakistan Navy said it routinely undertakes RMSP missions to safeguard national maritime interests through “robust vigilance and effective presence at sea,” and continues to play a proactive role in collaborative maritime-security efforts with other regional navies.
The seizure comes amid heightened counter-narcotics activity at sea.
In October, a Pakistani vessel seized a haul worth nearly $972 million in what authorities described as one of the largest drug seizures ever reported in the North Arabian Sea.
Last month, Pakistan Navy units operating under a Saudi Arabia-led multinational task force seized about 2,000 kg of methamphetamine, valued at roughly $130 million, highlighting the role of regional cooperation in disrupting trafficking networks.
