Another US official in Pakistan involved in road accident

PAKISTAN HAD WARNED ANY DECISION TO LIMIT THE MOVEMENT OF PAKISTANI DIPLOMATS IN THE US WOULD PUSH THE COUNTRY IN THE CATEGORY OF NATIONS SUCH AS IRAN AND CUBA

ISLAMABAD : Pakistani police on Monday registered a case of reckless driving against a motorcyclist who was injured after being hit by a US embassy official’s car the previous night.

The vehicle of Chad Rex Auburn, the second secretary at the mission, hit a motorcycle and injured the rider, Nazakat Islam, and his pillion passenger on Sunday night. Auburn initially refused to come out of the car and stepped out and identified himself after the police arrived.

Auburn was taken into custody and taken to a nearby police station. Police impounded his vehicle and he was handed over to the Foreign Office after verification of his documents.

This was the second road accident involving a US diplomat in recent weeks. The two countries were embroiled in a row after an American military attache’s SUV ran a red light on April 7 and struck a motorcycle, killing one of its riders. The official has been barred from leaving Pakistan.

The two Pakistani men involved in Sunday’s incident suffered minor injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital. They were later discharged.

A first information report registered on Monday against Islam said accident was a result of his “negligence and recklessness”. Another case was registered against the chief security officer of the US embassy, Taimoor Pirzada, for attacking and misbehaving with police following the crash. Pirzada was arrested though the US embassy offered no comment.

In a separate development, the US has put off its decision to restrict the movement of Pakistani diplomats in America as both countries try to resolve differences that have strained relations, officials were quoted as saying by the Dawn newspaper on Monday. Earlier, a Foreign Office spokesman had confirmed US plans to impose new restrictions on the Pakistani diplomats, including barring them from travelling more than 40 km from their posts without permission. The restrictions were to have taken effect from May 1.

Unnamed officials said this decision had been delayed at least till mid-may as both sides are engaged in efforts to resolve their differences.

The efforts are focused on developments in Pakistan, where US diplomats and visitors to the American embassy and consulates are facing additional security measures.

Pakistan has warned that any US decision to limit the movement of Pakistani diplomats would generate negative propaganda.