Lahore shooting: court extends remand of American

A Pakistani court Thursday extended the custody of the US government official held for gunning down two Pakistanis in Lahore till Friday, next week.

Raymond Davis was arrested for killing two youngsters in Lahore last week.

Davis was produced in court under a tight security cover after his six-day remand period ended Thursday, Dawn TV reported. “The police contended that they were yet to complete investigation with Davis and requested the court to extend the remand. The court extended the remand for another eight days till Feb 11,” the report said.

The court, however, granted bail to Davis in another case of carrying arms illegally and asked his lawyers to submit the bail bonds of Rs. 100,000.

The bail bonds were submitted before the court but Davis could not be set free because of the extension of his police remand in the alleged twin murder, the television report said.

Davis, a member of US consulate’s technical and administrative staff, shot two youngsters in Lahore last Thursday and claimed self-defense, alleging that the two were trying to rob him at an ATM machine.

All efforts by the US authorities to secure his release under diplomatic immunity have so far been turned down by the government. The Lahore High Court has also barred him from leaving Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Rehman Malik confirmed on Wednesday that the US citizen is in the country on a valid diplomatic passport. “I can confirm that Davis arrived in Pakistan on a valid diplomatic visa, which was granted to him after proper screening by the secret agencies,” Malik said.

Malik also said the name of Davis has been ‘included in the Exit Control List (ECL) on the directions of the Lahore High Court’.