Alwaght- Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned on Sunday US Ambassador David Hale to protest the killing of a young man who died after an accident involving a US defense attaché.
According to the ministry's spokesperson, Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua recorded strong protest with the US envoy, who expressed grief over the incident and assured full cooperation from the US embassy in investigating the incident.
"Justice will take its course in accordance with the law of the land and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961," said a press release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In a tweet posted later on Sunday, the US embassy expressed sympathy with the family of the deceased.
Pakistani national Atiq Baig, 22, died of a head injury, and his cousin, Raheel Ahmed, was seriously injured in the hit-and-run incident in Islamabad.
Local media reported that the US Embassy Toyota Land Cruiser involved in the incident fled the scene, but the car was stopped at a police checkpoint, where the driver was briefly held. He was released after filling a statement. The vehicle remained impounded.
"The US ambassador was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a strong protest was lodged by Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua on the tragic death of the motorcyclist and serious injury to the co-rider in the traffic accident on Saturday that involved a US diplomat,” read a press release issued on Sunday by Pakistan’s foreign ministry.
The Saturday incident was the third deadly road accident involving US diplomats in recent years.
In July 2010, a US embassy officer linked to the embassy’s Force Protection Department hit and killed a young man driving a motorcycle. In February 2013, an administrative assistant at the US Embassy hit two motorcyclists near Kohsar Complex at Margalla Avenue, killing one and injuring another.
