Trial of Col Joseph wasn’t possible due to diplomatic immunity, confirms IGP Islamabad

ISLAMABAD - The police chief of Islamabad has confirmed that the arrest and trial of US diplomat Col Joseph Emanuel Hall, who ran over a biker, was not possible as he enjoyed diplomatic immunity.

Speaking to a private television channel, Inspector General (IG) Islamabad, Sultan Azam Temuri said that the American military attaché's case would be heard by the American judiciary.

The official detailed that a challan was submitted in court on the criminal case against the US diplomat and relatives of the deceased would appear before the court.

"In case an agreement is not reached with the victim family, a letter will be written to the foreign ministry to summon Col Joseph," he said.

US diplomat Col Joseph leaves Pakistan: report

The US military attaché was initially barred from leaving the country as his name was put on the blacklist, however, he was allowed to leave the country on Monday.

On April 7, US Defence and Air Attaché Col Joseph Emanuel Hall ran a red light at Daman-i-Koh Chowk and hit a motorcycle. Consequently, two riders of the bike suffered injuries and one of them, 22-year-old Ateeq Baig, succumbed to his injuries.

Col Hall had escaped arrest because of diplomatic immunity but a first information report (FIR) regarding the incident was registered with Kohsar Police Station.

On April 24, the interior ministry had informed the Islamabad High Court that in order to restrict the movement of Col Hall, his name had been placed on the blacklist of the Directorate of immigration.

The Islamabad High Court had also ruled that Col Joseph did not enjoy complete immunity. It had also directed the interior ministry to decide the extent of immunity, the officer enjoyed, within a period of two weeks.

Earlier on Saturday, a United Airforce C130 aeroplane had returned from the Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi without the diplomat as the Interior Ministry refused to issue him a No Objection Certificate (NOC).

However, the official in question flew off to the United States on Monday.