The now infamous case of Raymond Davis ended Wednesday, when the American, who was indicted Tuesday for murder, was released after he reached a settlement to compensate the victims’ families. According to the NY Times, “After meeting with the American officials for more than six hours at the jail where the contractor, Raymond A. Davis, was held, the families accepted the money, ending the case.” According to Al Jazeera English’s Kamaal Hyder, under Sharia law, “when blood money does change hands and the family agree to drop charges, the court has no other option but to let the man go.”
Nevertheless, speculation is abound. Hyder, in his report, added, “But the family is not to be seen anywhere near their house, raising speculation that part of the deal was to settle the families in the U.S.” Moreover, according to the lawyers of the families, they were “forcibly taken to Kot Lakhpat Jail by unidentified men and made to sign papers pardoning Davis.” The lawyer, Asad Manzoor Butt, was quoted by the NY Times saying he was prevented from speaking to his clients all day and was warned not to speak to the news media.
Ultimately, though, the families did accept the blood money, or diyat, meaning that the courts had no choice but to release Davis. Punjab Law minister Rana Sanaullah told private television, “The family members of the slain men appeared in the court and independently verified they had pardoned [Davis].” And, while sources vary slightly on the blood money amount, (ABC News reported that $700,000 was paid to each family, totaling around $1.4 million, while Dawn reported the amount was $2.35 million), it is clear that this case is over. Raymond Davis has already left the country. The family, regardless of how they came to the agreement, accepted the settlement. The courts cannot do anything more, and frankly, neither can we.
Was this case shady? Of course. I have no doubt that there was some back-end wheeling and dealing by both U.S. and Pakistani officials to reach this conclusion. It was in the interest of the Pakistani government to not be seen as cow-towing to U.S. pressures to release Davis under diplomatic immunity. It was in the interest of the U.S. government to get Raymond Davis out, whatever the financial and diplomatic costs. So they both got their wish, didn’t they? Davis was indicted for murder charges yesterday, and he was swiftly released today after paying off the families of the men he killed in cold blood. But this was not justice, and really, it didn’t fool anyone. As Joshua Foust noted very succinctly at Registan,
What’s terrible about this outcome is, now there will be no justice in the Raymond Davis case. The best solution would have been for the Pakistani legal system to allow Davis to be extradited on the condition he be charged with murder in the U.S., and allow that trial to proceed away from the burning effigies and chants for his lynching. Unfortunately, both sides dug in their heels—first when Pakistan decided to reject the U.S.’s claims to Davis’ immunity, and then when President Obama called him “our diplomat in Pakistan” (which was clearly untrue). As both countries went further down these paths, the rhetoric became worse and worse until it seemed the two countries were heading toward a serious standoff. And now, since charges were brought and dropped, because the families of the victims have forgiven Davis, there will be no trial, and no justice.
So Raymond Davis is gone. But given the escalation of this case in the past month, I very much doubt the controversy will be completely over.
I think Foust goes too far. Blood-money *is* a form of justice. Foust is being obtuse in ignoring that.
Right. Blood money is a form a justice – but I think what he was saying, is how this entire situation spiraled out of control, so much so, that we moved away from what actually caused this situation in the first place.
I agree with you though – the settlement was reached and for the families at hand this was their form of justice. I actually wish we could now drop the Davis case and just move on to far more pressing problems plaguing Pakistan.
Definitely. Though it will be interesting to learn what the full story is/was.
i guess the shariah law came in handy for the US this time.
Pakistan government is not fighting against terrorism or terrorist, its fighting agains its own poor people. Such a shame for Pakistan.
Blood Money… I was knowing that this practice was followed in Gulf Countries. Really surprised to hear in the case of country like Pakistan. Is this also allowed in all Islamic countries like Turkey and Malaysia?
Blood money is used pretty frequently in Pakistan actually – it’s a common practice (if I’m wrong someone please correct me).
A lot of people predicted this might occur with this case. What’s interesting is that blood money or diyat is part of Islamic law – so it’ll be interested to see how right-wing clerics now react.
Shouldn’t a seperate case have been filed regarding the fact that he was a CIA agent operating in Pakistan without the country’s knowledge / permission? I think that’s what the outrage is about. Not about the acceptance or use of blood money.
I mean could we have legitimately filed a case against them? There are spies from different countries operating EVERYWHERE. The outrage was originally about the fact that this man should be held accountable for his crimes in Pakistan if he is not a diplomat – the outrage now is about the CIA presence in Pakistan.
everybody is in state of confusion… whats going?????
if the relatives of deceased have to forgive them then y did they do so much drama….. they can forgive him before ……..!!!!!
and if they are really ready for this then y it is hided???
and what about shumaila…. who sacrificed her life in order to gain justice but… whats this!!! this is really shameful!
and if there families are pressurized than its equivalnt of selling the self respect of our whole nation! 😦
Sweet, now can we move on to real problems?!
Ive been over this story before it even took over eveything. Spies are everywhere and we dont know what they are doing and it doesnt really matter what anyone has to say in regards to this, they will continue to operate. It doesnt matter who is in power, it doesnt matter what country was involved, it doesnt matter how much money was involved. Hopefully they just wont be as trigger happy in public any longer to avoid scenarios like this.
In regards to being let off because of Blood Money, I think its such a brilliant ending to this plot. Kudos to whoever thought this lovely little nugget up.
[…] Bye Bye Raymond Davis […]
The blood-money solution for Davis may be against the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). When a case was brought before him, and one of the party happened to be non-Muslim, he judged the punishment of non-Muslims based on their own tradition and NOT Islamic jurisprudence. So Davis should have been given the death penalty or life without any chance of paroll, according to American law.
Similarly, the blood-money CANNOT be applied here because one of the bereaved, the widow of one of the victims, committed suicide, and before passing away, stated that she would NOT accept blood-money. That should be accepted as her will. Absent her consent, blood-money becomes irrelevant.
But we all know America would do whatever she wants to, if not blood-money, she’d use a different excuse.
aaj hum ko apnay Pakistani honay per Sharmandgi hai… Shai kha tha kisi americe nay.. we can sold our mother only in 10 USD….. lannat hai humari Govt. per.
Assalam o alikum…..In true sence we have not got truly independence yet because we are depending on other nation in many ways.so we have not taken even strict action on a agent of CIA.If it is justified that the matter of Deves is setteled according to law and whishes of the families of the suffering but in other hand there is rule and laws of a country which should be follow to each persong belonging to usa of pakistan but here the matter has wrong direction,First Davis has no right act without the permission of law.He is visiting pakistan and created panic in the country and he has no fear of police or other law inforcement agencies.In other country no one can voilate the rule of law as majority is doing in pakistan.Daves should be pubished with other many voilitation of rules and laws .He ignore all laws of country.We can say we are not still a independent state.
I just had to vent somewhere, may be this is a good spot of some reasonable people who would actually listen. I liked your story on R. Davis but did not feel as if you did justice to it. Let me explain. All of a sudden all across it has become a discussion of blood money – Right or wrong? Sharia law allows it or not. We are discussing about things that frankly not the real issue here.
I am not upset that Mr. Davis is realeased. I don’t know why he shot those 2 young men and why the car ran over the other. I don’t know why there were constantly conflicting statments about his diplomatic status and why so much so even Mr. Obama had to say something about it. I don’t know if he was planning a very sensitive CIA mission in Pakistan that might end up causing more deaths. I don’t know and none of us know and thats f***ing frustrating.
But then again, I look at my nation and I see tired, weary, disappointed and ready to be just destroyed by some natural disaster completely in an instant. We are committing all sins mentioned in Quran yet we want to be “pasbaan” of Islam. We are so dark and so afraid that sometimes my heart feels ke “pahar to rooee ban he gaye hain, asmaan to phat he gaya
aur kis azab ka intizaar karoon, mere bache, mere waldeen, mere chota sa ghar, sub to jal he geya hai, mein tanha andhere raste mein betha subha se darta hoon, bus aise he khamooshe se maut aa jae, mein zindage ke khiyal se darta hoon.. Roshnee a bhee jaye, qabroon ke andhere to qam nahin hon gey, mera lab shikasta, mere haat darmanda, mein sir kia uthaoon, jub sub he kuch kho chuka hoon, mein dua mangne se darta hoon..
so its just one more hole in our heart, one more unexplained misery that we have taken on our souls as a nation. We only care about Mr. Davis because America cared so much about him and we wanted to know why..otherwise, so many poeple have been brutally murdered by blasts, drones or some local violence and we have no answers. I am sorry for venting, but I did warn you in the beginning.
Again it has been proved that pakistan as a nation is just a satellite for U.S without any self respect & ability to stand up against US.This Davis comes shoots up randomly gets arrested @ triumphantly is released by unscurpluous
politicians & legal agencies just exempilfy break in law & order system of pakistan .
I would kindly request pakistani people to kindly invest more on general basic education rather than investing on more nuclear arsenal which is of no use practically, go for economic development instead of preaching intolerance & extremism in society . pakistani children needs books & pens rather than AK47 & i would urge pakistani youth to become more vocal for liberty & scintific education in society & even as an indian i support all the moves to make pakistan self reliant & peaceful nation for growth of indian subcontinent
We have no right to celebrate independence because we are still a slave and we take dictations from our lord America for every single issue in the country. As Raymond had allegations of double murdering and his act was strongly condemned by the whole nation, he was set freed. Imagine the intensity of heat and grief on the sad incident that wife of a victim committed suicide out of feelings of helplessness and despair from the justice delivering faction of the society. Religious groups and political parties pushed the families of victim to accept blood money referring it as a shariah law. At last but not least it was proven that money can buy you anything even pardon. It is shame for the whole nation that we have no dignity but compromises in life .we pardoned Raymond Davis for three lives but could not manage a pardon for Aafia for just attempt to attack on Nato officer. Shame, woe and curse many times on all of us for being sold out for dollars and humble slaves of America.
Another victim of Raymond Davis found in a posh area of Lahore
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