Pakistan today said a senior US diplomat, who killed a motorcyclist in a road accident here, was allowed to leave the country as he had diplomatic immunity and also the Trump administration gave assurance that he would be tried in an American court.

Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisalalso also said that restrictions on diplomats of both Pakistan and the US have now been in place and diplomats and their families will have to seek prior permission to travel outside the radius of 25 miles.&nbsp

Defence attache Colonel Joseph Hall left the country on May 14 after Washington assured Islamabad that he would be tried under US laws.

Pakistan had earlier sent back an American plane, delaying the return of Hall to the US amidst the controversy over his immunity from prosecution.

Hall had killed a 22-year-old motorcyclist and injured another on April 7 in Islamabad after jumping a red signal.

He was let go by the Islamabad police in line with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961 which gives diplomat immunity from criminal prosecution. However, a first information report of the incident was registered.

The incident increased political tension between the two countries.

Relations between Washington and Islamabad have been strained since US President Donald Trump accused Pakistan of "lies and deceit" and criticised Islamabad for providing safe havens to terror groups.

Pakistan had earlier sent back an American plane, delaying the return of Hall to the US amidst the controversy over his immunity from prosecution

Pakistan today said a senior US diplomat, who killed a motorcyclist in a road accident here, was allowed to leave the country as he had diplomatic immunity and also the Trump administration gave assurance that he would be tried in an American court. Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisalalso also said that restrictions on diplomats of both Pakistan and the US have now been in place and diplomats and their families will have to seek prior permission to travel outside the radius of 25 miles. Defence attache Colonel Joseph Hall left the country on May 14 after Washington assured Islamabad that he would be tried under US laws. Pakistan had earlier sent back an American plane, delaying the return of Hall to the US amidst the controversy over his immunity from prosecution. Hall had killed a 22-year-old motorcyclist and injured another on April 7 in Islamabad after jumping a red signal. He was let go by the Islamabad police in line with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961 which gives diplomat immunity from criminal prosecution. However, a first information report of the incident was registered. The incident increased political tension between the two countries. Relations between Washington and Islamabad have been strained since US President Donald Trump accused Pakistan of "lies and deceit" and criticised Islamabad for providing safe havens to terror groups.

American diplomat allowed to leave Pak on US assurance

The Pakistan federal government on Tuesday placed American Diplomat Colonel Joseph Emanuel hall, who ran down three persons in near Islamabad earlier this month on 'black list' and thus he cannot leave the country.

The Pakistani Government has informed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that the diplomat does not stand a trial in Pakistan owning to the diplomatic immunity.

Pakistan's Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Raja Khalid has informed the IHC that placing the diplomat's name on the Exit Control List (ECL) is a very lengthy process. As of now, he can neither be arrested nor can he be tried, reported the Dawn.

Khalid even underscored that the American military attache has diplomatic immunity as per the Vienna Convention, adding, he can be tried if only his immunity is withdrawn, according to the report.

On April 20, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided not to place the name of the US diplomat on the no-fly list, as he has an exemption under the Vienna Convention, Express News reported.

The diplomate, earlier this month, rammed his vehicle into a motorbike after jumping a traffic signal at the intersection of Margalla Road and 7th Avenue which has three persons in Daman-e-Koh, north of Islamabad, ratcheting up the ongoing visa/diplomatic rift between the two countries.

He was reportedly sloshed while driving the white Land Cruiser that hit three motorcyclists at a traffic signal.

One of the riders was dead, while the other two were critically wounded, who were taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).

The diplomatic tiff between the United States (US) and Pakistan is brewing up like coffee, gradual-yet-strong and perhaps tad bitter.

The Pakistani Government has informed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that the diplomat does not stand a trial in Pakistan owning to the diplomatic immunity

The Pakistan federal government on Tuesday placed American Diplomat Colonel Joseph Emanuel hall, who ran down three persons in near Islamabad earlier this month on 'black list' and thus he cannot leave the country. The Pakistani Government has informed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that the diplomat does not stand a trial in Pakistan owning to the diplomatic immunity. Pakistan's Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Raja Khalid has informed the IHC that placing the diplomat's name on the Exit Control List (ECL) is a very lengthy process. As of now, he can neither be arrested nor can he be tried, reported the Dawn. Khalid even underscored that the American military attache has diplomatic immunity as per the Vienna Convention, adding, he can be tried if only his immunity is withdrawn, according to the report. On April 20, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided not to place the name of the US diplomat on the no-fly list, as he has an exemption under the Vienna Convention, Express News reported. The diplomate, earlier this month, rammed his vehicle into a motorbike after jumping a traffic signal at the intersection of Margalla Road and 7th Avenue which has three persons in Daman-e-Koh, north of Islamabad, ratcheting up the ongoing visa/diplomatic rift between the two countries. He was reportedly sloshed while driving the white Land Cruiser that hit three motorcyclists at a traffic signal. One of the riders was dead, while the other two were critically wounded, who were taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). The diplomatic tiff between the United States (US) and Pakistan is brewing up like coffee, gradual-yet-strong and perhaps tad bitter.

Pakistan places American diplomat Colonel Joseph Emanuel Hall on 'black list'

Pakistan today summoned US Ambassador David Hale and lodged a strong protest over the killing of a motorcyclist in a road accident involving a vehicle driven by a senior US diplomat.

A fast-moving Land Cruiser, driven by Col Joseph Emanuel Hall, the defence and air attache at the US embassy, jumped the red light and hit a motorcycle carrying two men at a traffic signal near Islamabad's Daman-e-Koh area yesterday.

The motorcyclist, identified as Atiq Baig, 22, died due to a head injury while the pillion rider Raheel Ahmed received injuries.

To register its protest over the incident, the Foreign Office summoned US Ambassador David Hale.

"The US ambassador was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today and a strong protest was lodged by the Foreign Secretary on the tragic death of the motorcyclist and serious injury to the co-rider in the traffic accident yesterday that involved a US diplomat," Foreign Office said in a statement.

It said that the US ambassador expressed his deep sympathy and sadness over the loss of life and assured that the embassy would fully cooperate in the investigation.

The foreign secretary conveyed that justice will take its course in accordance with the law of the land and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961.

According to Dawn, the diplomat had tried to speed away after the accident, but he was stopped at a nearby checkpoint, where police tried to question him. He, however, refused to get off from the vehicle.

The area police arrived at the scene and asked the driver to surrender. Shortly, several locals and foreigners arrived there on different vehicles and introduced themselves as officials of the US embassy.

The diplomat asked the police to clear the way as he had diplomatic immunity, police said, adding that when they refused, the officials put up resistance.

Senior policemen then visited the spot and took the defence attache and his vehicle, as well as a colleague, to the Kohsar police station, the Dawn reported.

Police asked the other US diplomats to submit written statements about the accident and the diplomatic status of the suspect.

The US diplomat was later allowed to leave. The police, however, impounded the vehicle and took the diplomat's cards for verification, the daily said.

A case was registered against the diplomat on the complaint of the victim father, who is a watchman at an Islamabad school. The injured man is his nephew.

The family of the ones who dies demanded justice after the diplomat was not arrested as he enjoyed immunity under international laws.

Several people took to social media to protest against the favourable treatment given to the US diplomat, the Dawn said.

The police responded in a blog stating that they followed the due legal procedure and the attache had diplomatic immunity granted by the government of Pakistan as per Vienna Convention.

"If a blogger has objections on handing over of the diplomat to the embassy, he/she may approach the government of Pakistan to withdraw from Vienna Convention, the blog posted by the Capital City police said.

The incident is being compared with the 2011 incident when a CIA contractor Raymond Davis was arrested in Lahore on charges of killing two Pakistani citizens.

It kicked off a huge diplomatic crisis between the two countries. Pakistani authorities had charged him with murder, but the Obama administration insisted he is an "administrative and technical official" attached to its Lahore consulate and has diplomatic immunity.

Raymond Davis was later allowed to leave the country after a compromise was reached with the victims' family.

This is the third road accident in recent years in which US diplomats have hit and killed people in Islamabad, the capital city police said, adding that they got away with it because they had diplomatic immunity.

A fast-moving Land Cruiser, driven by Col Joseph Emanuel Hall, the defence and air attache at the US embassy, jumped the red light and hit a motorcycle carrying two men at a traffic signal near Islamabad's Daman-e-Koh area yesterday.

Pakistan today summoned US Ambassador David Hale and lodged a strong protest over the killing of a motorcyclist in a road accident involving a vehicle driven by a senior US diplomat. A fast-moving Land Cruiser, driven by Col Joseph Emanuel Hall, the defence and air attache at the US embassy, jumped the red light and hit a motorcycle carrying two men at a traffic signal near Islamabad's Daman-e-Koh area yesterday. The motorcyclist, identified as Atiq Baig, 22, died due to a head injury while the pillion rider Raheel Ahmed received injuries. To register its protest over the incident, the Foreign Office summoned US Ambassador David Hale. "The US ambassador was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today and a strong protest was lodged by the Foreign Secretary on the tragic death of the motorcyclist and serious injury to the co-rider in the traffic accident yesterday that involved a US diplomat," Foreign Office said in a statement. It said that the US ambassador expressed his deep sympathy and sadness over the loss of life and assured that the embassy would fully cooperate in the investigation. The foreign secretary conveyed that justice will take its course in accordance with the law of the land and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961. According to Dawn, the diplomat had tried to speed away after the accident, but he was stopped at a nearby checkpoint, where police tried to question him. He, however, refused to get off from the vehicle. The area police arrived at the scene and asked the driver to surrender. Shortly, several locals and foreigners arrived there on different vehicles and introduced themselves as officials of the US embassy. The diplomat asked the police to clear the way as he had diplomatic immunity, police said, adding that when they refused, the officials put up resistance. Senior policemen then visited the spot and took the defence attache and his vehicle, as well as a colleague, to the Kohsar police station, the Dawn reported. Police asked the other US diplomats to submit written statements about the accident and the diplomatic status of the suspect. The US diplomat was later allowed to leave. The police, however, impounded the vehicle and took the diplomat's cards for verification, the daily said. A case was registered against the diplomat on the complaint of the victim father, who is a watchman at an Islamabad school. The injured man is his nephew. The family of the ones who dies demanded justice after the diplomat was not arrested as he enjoyed immunity under international laws. Several people took to social media to protest against the favourable treatment given to the US diplomat, the Dawn said. The police responded in a blog stating that they followed the due legal procedure and the attache had diplomatic immunity granted by the government of Pakistan as per Vienna Convention. "If a blogger has objections on handing over of the diplomat to the embassy, he/she may approach the government of Pakistan to withdraw from Vienna Convention, the blog posted by the Capital City police said. The incident is being compared with the 2011 incident when a CIA contractor Raymond Davis was arrested in Lahore on charges of killing two Pakistani citizens. It kicked off a huge diplomatic crisis between the two countries. Pakistani authorities had charged him with murder, but the Obama administration insisted he is an "administrative and technical official" attached to its Lahore consulate and has diplomatic immunity. Raymond Davis was later allowed to leave the country after a compromise was reached with the victims' family. This is the third road accident in recent years in which US diplomats have hit and killed people in Islamabad, the capital city police said, adding that they got away with it because they had diplomatic immunity.

Pakistan summons US envoy over death of biker in accident involving American diplomat