Pak police dismiss murder-accused US official’s “self-defence” claim as ‘unconvincing’

LAHORE - Pakistani police officials investigating into the double killings by US national Raymond Davis have dismissed his ’self-defence’ claim as ‘unconvincing’ in their initial report to the Punjab government, a TV channel has reported.

In the report, the investigators submitted that they see the killer’s act as “excessive and disproportionate”, which cannot be covered by any definition of “self-defence” under the law of the land, the Daily Times reported.

Three people were killed last Thursday when US consulate worker Raymond Davis opened fire on motorcycle riders and hit another with his car in an attempt to escape from the scene in Lahore.

The United States has defended Davis’ action, saying that he had acted “in self defence when confronted by two armed men on motorcycles”, and called for his immediate release, pointing out that he enjoyed diplomatic immunity.

However, the report submitted to the Punjab government said that Davis had not opened fire in self-defence, adding that he was not a diplomat and that no security agency was aware of his visit to the area where the incident took place.

It also alleged that the US Consulate in Lahore was not giving any information about the driver and the vehicle that crushed Ibadur Rehman, a bystander who was killed when an American car rushing to the scene to help Davis struck him.

“The people and the vehicle that rushed to Qartaba Chowk to help him have not yet been handed over to the police. The US consulate is not cooperating in the inquiry despite several requests of the provincial government,” the channel quoted the sources as saying. (ANI)