Constitution Ave, Islamabad, Credit: Zacharie Grossen/Wikimedia Commons
In a development that could take some of the tension off the U.S.-Pakistan relations, American diplomat Colonel Joseph Emanuel Hall, who was involved in the fatal accident in the capital Islamabad, has left Pakistan.
Colonel Joseph, the US military attaché, was flown out of Pakistan from Nur Khan Airbase by a special plane.
The American diplomat left the country after United States refused to withdraw his diplomatic immunity.
Police have handed over all the record of Colonel Joseph to U.S. officials, Geo TV channel reported.
On Saturday, Pakistani authorities had barred Colonel Joseph from leaving the country, forcing an American military aircraft flown in for his departure to leave for Afghan airbase Baghram without having him on board.
A Pakistani court had also confirmed that as diplomat Emanuel Hall had immunity but not the absolute immunity from prosecution.
On April 7, Colonel Joseph jumped a red light and rammed into a motorcycle killing a Pakistani civilian, Ateeq Baig. The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday, on a petition filed by the deceased’s father, had ruled that the US diplomat does not have absolute immunity in the country.
The court also granted two weeks to the Ministry of Interior to decide about placing his name on the Exit Control List (ECL).
According to Voice of America, Col Hall was permitted to leave for Afghanistan, after Pakistani authorities reportedly removed Hall’s name from a “black list” of people not allowed to leave the country due to pending court cases against them.
