USA may sever diplomatic ties with Pakistan

A recent article in the US Media reported that the USA have threatend the Pakistan Ambassador to the US Hussain Haqqani, with the termination of all international diplomatic ties with Pakistan.

The report has said the Mr Haqqani as informed that unless US Citizen Raymond Davis is released and returned to the US within 24 Hours of yesterday's deadline, they will shut down the Embassy in Pakistan and call back all their diplomats. They will also shut down the Pakistani Embassy and send the Ambassador and his staff home. A threat to cancel Pakistani President Asiaf Zardari's visit to the US has also purportedly been filed.

The Dawn Newspaper said:

http://nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/International/11-Feb-2011/US-threatens-to-end-diplomatic-ties-with-Pak

Other reports indicate that President O'Bama's national security advisor summoned Pakistan's ambassador to the White House sometime on Monday evening. There he delivered a threat from the president Various Us Media publications have quoted Pakistani Officials as saying:

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"Release Raymond Davis, an American being held in Lahore for killing two Pakistanis, or face the consequences"

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According to a report published in ABC News, National Security Advisor Tom Donilon told Ambassador Husain Haqqani that the US will remove the Pakistan Embassy form the US, close US consulates in Pakistan, and cancel an upcoming visit by Pakistani President to Washington, if Davis is not released from custody by Friday.

According to the ABC News, the outlines of the threat were confirmed by a senior U.S. official, who was not authorized to speak on the record. A White House spokesperson, Tommy Vietor, declined comment.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Haqqani, in a message on social networking website denied that any US official has conveyed any personal threats to him or spoken of extreme measures.

At this early juncture it would seem that the Americans have got deadly serious with Pakistan and quite rightly so. The fact remains there are international protections for diplomatic envoys and personnel. Pakistan in apprehending and incarcerating Raymond Davis have breached established rules of diplomacy and have stirred up a hornets nest in doing so.

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The BPCA is concerned about the nature of protectionism that is afforded to diplomats, but understand that these international conventions exist and that countries that agree to them, in general adhere to them.

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I remember only recently that a Pakistani Diplomat (a former General) who was arrested for soliciting for sex here in the UK. He was arrested after officers "caught him with his pants down". However he had to be released when he showed documents confirming his diplomatic immunity:

http://www.indianexpress.com/ie/daily/20000208/ifr08045.html

We could argue that 2 murders are a worse crime then the misguided sexual perversions of a Diplomat. However, full details of the incident are not forthcoming and the fact remains that the diplomatic immunity exists.

Pakistan would be best placed to send the Ambassador home and than appeal to the US for an in investigation into the incident (providing supporting evidence) and potential extradition of Mr Davis to Pakistan for trial, if he is found to be potentially guilty and stripped of his immunity.

The BPCA agrees with Pakistan that diplomatic immunity is an anachronistic policy that creates the potential for political angst and international incident.