Pakistan summons US ambassador over deadly accident by American diplomat

According to police, a fast-moving SUV being driven by Col. Joseph Emanuel Hall, a military attaché at the US Embassy in Islamabad, jumped the lights at an intersection and hit a motorcycle with two male passengers on Saturday evening.
 
Pakistani national Atiq Baig, 22, died of a head injury, and his cousin, Raheel Ahmed, was seriously injured in the hit-and-run incident.
 
Local media reported that the US Embassy Toyota Land Cruiser involved in the incident fled the scene, but the car was stopped at a police checkpoint, where the driver was briefly held. He was released after filling a statement. The vehicle remained impounded.
 
“The US ambassador was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a strong protest was lodged by Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua on the tragic death of the motorcyclist and serious injury to the co-rider in the traffic accident on Saturday that involved a US diplomat,” read a press release issued on Sunday by Pakistan’s Foreign Office.
 
Ambassador Hale assured the Pakistan Foreign Office that the US Embassy would “fully cooperate” in the investigation of the case.
 
“The US ambassador expressed his deep sympathy and sadness over the loss of life and assured that the embassy would fully cooperate in the investigation,” it added.
 
The Saturday incident was the third deadly road accident involving US diplomats in recent years.
 
In July 2010, a US embassy officer linked to the embassy’s Force Protection Department hit and killed a young man driving a motorcycle. In February 2013, an administrative assistant at the US Embassy hit two motorcyclists near Kohsar Complex at Margalla Avenue, killing one and injuring another.