Plea in Pak court questions release of American national Davis

No application was filed by anyone on behalf of Davis for removing his name from the Exit Control List.

A lawyer has approached a Pakistani court to seek an explanation from Law Minister Babar Awan and senior officials on the release of CIA contractor Raymond Davis,who was arrested after he shot and killed two men in January.

Javed Iqbal Jeffery filed an application in the Lahore High Court yesterday,asking it to seek an explanation from Awan,Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif,Judge Yousaf Aujla and others as to why they facilitated the acquittal and release of Davis.

Jeffery filed the application in connection with another case on the release of Davis,who was pardoned and freed by Judge Aujla earlier this month after over USD 2.3 million was paid as “blood money” to the families of the dead men.

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He asked the Lahore High Court to obtain affidavits from the respondents on whether they had prior information about Davis’ acquittal and his subsequent departure from Pakistan on a special flight.

He said the High Court had directed the Interior Ministry to place Davis’ name on a list of persons barred from leaving Pakistan and the court had also been assured by a law officer and the ministry that the order had been complied with.

Jaffrey said the court order was still in place when Davis was released and the High Court had not suspended or withdrawn its order.

No application was filed by anyone on behalf of Davis for removing his name from the Exit Control List.

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In violation of the court’s order,Davis was allowed to leave Pakistan whereas Punjab Chief Minister Sharif claimed that he was not aware of the development,Jeffery said.

He alleged the government and its functionaries ignored the court’s order while releasing Davis.