Pakistan in Uproar over US Raymond Davis Case

Pakistani Wires Countrywide protest on Raymond Davis’s possible release. (evidently before the latest call from Bashir that Davis would be held.) LAHORE, (SANA): Protest day was observed all over the country on Friday against the potential release of the American national Raymond Davis - allegedly a contractor and possibly spy - who killed three youth in Pakistan last month.

Large number of people joined the protest rallies and demonstrations staged in the federal and the provincial capitals besides major cities and towns at which the speakers from various parties and social organizations strongly opposed the release of Raymond Davis under any pressure.

Syed Munawar Hassan, while addressing a large Friday congregation at Mansoora indicated that if Pakistan officials compromised national honour - even Washington would not be able to shield them. He said that rulers should be thankful to the religious parties who had so far prevented the furious masses from taking the law in their own hands on the issue, and warned that if the masses rose against oppression and injustice, no power could withstand their fury.

Syed Munawar Hassan said the US officials were holding meetings with the President, the Prime Minister and the Army Chief and pressurizing them for Raymond Davis’s release. Yet, he added that the people of the nation wanted the rulers to adopt the path of dignity and courage so as to pull out of the US pressure.

The JI Amir added that had there been even an iota of morality and justice in the Americans, they would have announced withdrawal of the 86 years jail term given to Dr Aafia Siddiqui before demanding Raymond’s release. He said if a fragile lady, Dr Aafia could be sentenced only on the charge of raising gun on US soldiers (not proven by US court) and no one killed at all - why could not Raymond Davis be sentenced to death on three counts for killing three innocent citizens.

A huge rally held at Multan Road, near Mansoora, after Juma prayers, was addressed by the JI Secretary General, Liaquat Baloch. He said that the Pakistani people would celebrate “Day of Deliverance” on the day when US-Pakistan relations were scrapped. The nation would prefer to live on bare bread to a life of US slavery, he added.

Liaquat Baloch said that the days of the US supremacy were over, states were getting out of the US stronghold and the US stooges were being defeated ever where.

He said the US threats for severing diplomatic ties, aid stoppage and financial sanctions could not affect this country in any way.

He counseled the rulers to hold talks with the Taliban groups as the use of force had failed.

Big rallies were also held in Karachi, Rawalpindi, Bahawalpur, Peshawar and Quetta.

Thousands more across the nation have been in uproar against what is seen as a contradiction of agreements and diplomacy in case of Raymond Davis. Some have suggested US should at the least trade Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani, for Raymond Davis. Photo above posted on blogsite of ahmedquraishi.com/2011/02/. Raymond Davis worked in Pakistan as a special operations, intelligence and security contractor of CIA. His wife has told American journalists her husband told her to contact a CIA official if he fell in trouble. The case may expose CIA’s secret espionage network in Pakistan. This along with the civilian deaths due to US drones and what many consider an inadequate if not kangaroo court trial of Dr. Siddiqui have added increased tension to Pakistan/US relations.

(By the way, Dr. Aafia Siddiqui has been imprisoned in Texas, US in Carswell a prison for mentally ill women with a long unresolved history of abuse. Evidently, her brother is still not allowed to visit her although he's received official clearance.)

Related to this case as background from Pakistani view SEE "The Long History of US Special Ops Disguised as American Diplomats in Pakistan here

Also find more on the case just in above for February 13th "Pakistan Holds Firm" and see other references below that post.