Another US diplomat hits, injures motorcyclist in Islamabad

Nearly a month after a US diplomat hit and killed a motorcyclist in Islamabad, another US diplomat has gotten into trouble after he too rammed into a motorcycle and injured two on Sunday night in the capital.

However, the police on Monday booked the motorcyclist for negligent driving. Police has also lodged another case against the chief security officer of the US embassy in Islamabad for misbehaving with police following the accident, according to local media reports,

The car, which belongs to US Embassy Second Secretary Chad Rex Ausburn, hit a motorcyclist and his pillion passenger. The riders, identified as Nazakat Aslam Awan and Muhammad Waseem, were injured and rushed to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital, where they are said to be stable.

Ausburn produced his diplomatic card issued by the foreign office along with a valid driving licence to police, who had immediately responded and reached the site of the incident. The US diplomat was taken into custody by the police.

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He was later taken to Secretariat Police Station, from where he was released after a written letter from the Foreign Office was received. The US diplomata cannot be detained or arrested by the police as he enjoys diplomatic immunity.

Earlier on April 7 a similar accident took place in Islamabad. United States Defence and Air Attaché Colonel Joseph Emanuel ran a red light and hit a motorcycle coming from the other side carrying Ateeq Baig and his cousin. Ateeq died on the spot whereas his cousin was injured.

The US diplomat's name has been placed in the black list and he cannot leave the country. The Islamabad High Court had observed that diplomatic immunity does not permit killing someone.