IHC reserves verdict on maintainability of petition seeking US diplomat's name on ECL

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Thursday reserved its verdict on the maintainability of a petition requesting US diplomat Colonel Joseph Emanuel Hall’s name be placed on the exit control list (ECL).

A single-judge bench of the IHC comprising Justice Aamer Farooq, questioned the maintainability of the petition filed by the father of a youngster, who was killed last week after being hit by the vehicle of the defence attaché at the US embassy in Islamabad.

During the hearing, Justice Farooq remarked, “What is the legal provision regarding placing someone on the ECL?”

On Saturday, the vehicle of Colonel Joseph ran a red light and rammed into a motorcycle killing Ateeq Baig on the spot and injuring another.

Colonel Joseph, station house officer (SHO) of Kohsar police station, inspector general (IG) Islamabad and interior secretary were made parties in the petition filed with the IHC on Wednesday.

Ateeq's father stated that police registered the first information report (FIR) of the incident under media pressure, however, no serious efforts are being made to complete investigations into the matter.

Islamabad youth's killing: IHC moved to order placement of US diplomat's name on ECL

Father of the deceased says Colonel Joseph, while intoxicated, hit his son and he died on the spot

A day after the incident, US Ambassador to Pakistan David Hale was summoned to the Foreign Office to protest the killing.

Pakistan's 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, said a Foreign Office spokesman.

Earlier on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif revealed that the US embassy official is still in Pakistan. The minister made the remarks in the National Assembly in response to a lawmaker's question on the status of the case following rumours that the diplomat may have left the country.

Asif assured the House that the law will take its course in the case, adding that the US embassy has assured the government of cooperation in the matter.