‘Blood money’ frees CIA’s Davis

Mar 17, 2011 - Shafqat Ali |

Age Correspondent

Islamabad

The Pakistan government on Wednesday orchestrated the release of proclaimed US diplomat and alleged Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) contractor Raymond Davis by invoking the Islamic provision of diyat (blood money).

However, officials at the Presidency and the Prime Minister’s House said Davis’ release was a result of an agreement between the families of the victims and him. “The government has nothing to do with his release. It was settled in court and the government accepts it. The government did not interfere. We don’t even know how much money has been paid,” an official said. Chaudhry Mushtaq, superintendent at Kot Lakhpat jail, said Davis left the jail with US consulate officials after the hearing. US officials said Davis left on a special plane for an American facility in Kabul from where he will be flown to his country.
The additional sessions court in Lahore ordered the release of Raymond Davis, who killed two Pakistanis on a busy road in Lahore, after payment of blood money.

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