LAHORE: The increasing sense of insecurity among the American
diplomatic staff stationed in Pakistan can be gauged from the fact
that most of them are carrying loaded guns and other such weapons on
the pretext of self-protection while moving around in the federal
capital.
This embarrassing development for Pakistan government came to light
recently when several US diplomats in different instances were
intercepted by Islamabad police while carrying guns and other weapons.
But the police authorities had to let them off because of the
diplomatic immunity they enjoy. However, in view of the rising number
of such incidents taking place in the federal capital, Islamabad
police high ups have sought a clear policy from the Ministry of
Interior, as to how to deal with the issue.
In a most recent incident, a senior US diplomat was spotted carrying a
loaded pistol in front of Serena Hotel located in the federal
capital’s high security Red Zone area. In another incident on June 22
2009, three American diplomats were caught by the police with assault
guns in their vehicle while returning from Peshawar. The vehicle
bearing a fake license plate was stopped by the police at Khyber
Checkpoint in G-9 Sector of Islamabad and arms were recovered during
search of the vehicle. In yet another episode early this month, the
Islamabad police got hold of two US diplomats near Super Market of the
federal capital for possessing weapons.
According to the laid down diplomatic rules an regulations, diplomats
stationed anywhere in Pakistan are by and large required to get
authorisation from the Ministry of Interior before moving out of
Islamabad. However, in this case, the American diplomats had traveled
to Peshawar without either getting permission or giving any intimation
to the Pakistani authorities. In each of these incidents the security
personnel of the American embassy instantly rushed to the places where
these diplomats were caught and search was allowed in their presence.
While justifying the acts of their diplomats, the US security staffers
have usually maintained that they were carrying guns under
instructions from their high ups in view of the worsening law and
order situation in Pakistan and the ever-rising number of threats
coming from the jehadi mafia to target the American officials
stationed in Pakistan.
Some senior foreign office officials in Islamabad say the possession
of arms by diplomats require explicit approval by the host government,
which is responsible for their security. However, he wasn’t sure, if
the US embassy had been granted such authorisation or if the Americans
ever requested for it. But, the official said that it was certainly a
case of abuse of diplomatic immunity, which did not allow them under
any circumstances to carry arms. Police officials in their background
discussions also insisted that it was an illegal practice, but they
were helpless in stopping it.
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