Considering the hue and cry being raised by the US on the Diplomatic Immunity and his illegal detention of Raymond Davis a few days back from Lahore when he killed two people in cold blood.
It seems the United States of America has a very short term selective memory in 2001 after 9/11 it arrested and picked up Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef from Islamabad who was then the Afghanistan Ambassador to Pakistan. He was detained in Pakistan initially in 2001 and then held until 2005 in the Guantanamo Bay detainment camp.
I am sure the serving Ambassador had full Diplomatic Immunity as accorded to his status under the Vienna Convention, whatsoever may his linkage be with the Talibans but he was beaten, tortured, handcuffed, and dragged naked in a US Helicopter before being airlifted to Guantanamo Bay, where were the laws that time, where was the diplomatic immunity and where was the Vienna Convention at that time. The US so staunchly claims for a consultant employed by the US Consulate in Lahore.
On his release Abdul Salam Zaeef wrote an autobiography titled My Life With The Taliban: An Excerpt, a few alamring sections I have copied below but you can read the entire hair raising ordeal on Cage Prisoners website
When we arrived in Peshawar I was taken to a lavishly-fitted office. A Pakistani flag stood on the desk, and a picture of Mohammad Ali Jinnah hung at the back of the room, I was in the devil’s workshop, the regional head office of the ISI.
It was eleven o’clock at night and I was getting ready to go to bed when the door to my cell suddenly opened. A man entered; he was polite and we exchanged greetings. He said that I was being transferred, and that it would happen soon. Without asking for any further details, I got up and took my ablutions. Barely five minutes had passed when other men arrived with handcuffs and a piece of black cloth. They shackled my hands and the cloth was tied around my head covering my eyes, they kicked and pushed me into a car. None of them had said a word so far. We drove for almost an hour before they stopped the car. I could hear the sounds of the rotating blades of a helicopter nearby. I guessed that we were at an airport where I would be handed over to the Americans. Someone grabbed me and pulled an expensive watch that I was wearing from my wrist as the car drove closer to the helicopters. The car stopped again, but this time two people grabbed me on each side and took me out of the car. As they brought me towards the helicopter, one of the guards whispered into my ear. Khuda hafiz. Farewell. But the way he said it, it sounded like I was going on a fantastic journey.
Even before I reached the helicopter, I was suddenly attacked from all sides. People kicked me, shouted at me, and my clothes were cut with knives. They ripped the black cloth from my face and for the first time I could see where I was. Pakistani and American soldiers stood around me. Behind these soldiers, I could see military vehicles in the distance, one of which had a general’s number plate.
The Pakistani soldiers were all staring as the Americans hit me and tore the remaining clothes off from my body. Eventually I was completely naked, and the Pakistani soldiers—the defenders of the Holy Qur’an—shamelessly watched me with smiles on their faces, saluting this disgraceful action of the Americans. They held a handover ceremony with the Americans right in front of my eyes. That moment is written in my memory like a stain on my soul. Even if Pakistan was unable to stand up to the godless Americans I would at least have expected them to insist that treatment like this would never take place under their eyes or on their own sovereign territory. I was still naked when a callous American soldier gripped my arm and dragged me onto the helicopter. They tied my hands and feet, sealed my mouth with duct tape and put a black cloth over my head. That was in turn taped to my neck, and then I was shackled to the floor of the helicopter. All this time I could neither shout nor breathe. When I tried to catch my breath or move a little to one side, I was kicked hard by a soldier. On board the helicopter, I stopped fearing the kicking and beating; I was sure that my soul would soon leave my body behind. I assured myself that I would soon die from the beatings. My wish, however, wasn’t granted.
It sends chills down ones spine to note how ruthless the Americans were, total disrgard for humanity and no consideration for any Diplomatic immunity that Abdul Salam Zaeef may have under the Vienna Convention, he was an appointed Ambassador, how so ever viel his intentions might have been, he had more rights then Raymond Davis could ever have wanted that afternoon in Lahore
Comments
15 responses to “The US conveniently Forgets Diplomatic Immunity for Afghan Ambassador in Islamabad”
Thanks, Awab! You have raised a very valid point highlighting the ruthlessness of American bastards and their Pakistani slaves. However, I am afraid your friends in the so-called civil society won't like this blog of yours.
LOL – the fun has to start someplace and sides need to be chosen, FOR and AGAINST Pakistan. its unfortunate that many Pakistanis prefer to maintain middle ground status swinging either way where the tide flows the most.
After reading his autobiography sections – it infuriating
This surely is a very graphic ordeal of the former Afghan diplomat … I saw a clip shared with me on facebook a few days back "He's a SOB but he's our SOB" so USA would support any leaders whose corrupt / who've shed innocent blood of people etc etc … as long as he stays inline with their vested interest … and as soon as he thinks otherwise they'd start treating him like a "cancer"
There was another clip that I saw about an ex-american navy official who wanted to drive his car full of explosive to a huge muslim mosque in california but was captured by authorities and this news never made it to the main stream media … how convinient … if it was a muslim and was captured with just a gun … the media would have been flashing their pictures 24/7 …
So the American memory and regard for rules and regulations is very short term … they show no regard for any rules be it their own created or others.
– Tirmizi
We all know that American policy is riddled with hypocrisy, but at the same time we also know that they can get away with it. What is disturbing in all these instances is how our state, namely the military is complicit in facilitating the abuse of both domestic and international law to serve American interests.
as far as the US is concerned, it never recognised the Taliban as the legitimate govt of a'stan, so how and why would it consider it or any of its members to have any relevance to Convention rights? Such rights only applied to the three countries which had actually recognised the Taliban govt in kabul.
The Taliban government was not recognized by the US and hence the argument regarding violation of the Vienna Convention becomes null and void. Pakistan on the other hand recognized the Taliban government and chose to handover the Afghan ambassador to US. Who is at fault? It doesn't take a genius to figure that out.
As far as diplomatic status of Abdul Salam Zaeef, whats interesting to note, that he was Talibans Ambassador to Pakistan BEFORE 9/11, we may or may not agree with the Talibans, but as the ruling Party of Afghanistan he had the necessary credentials to occupy the position of Ambassador.
On August 28th 2001 a group of senators met with him in the capacity of Taliban Ambassador to Pakistan goes to show his credentials were valid before 9/11
What happened after 9/11 – the UN declaring Taliban a terrorist organization and etc etc is different, if PK and US are so passionate on protecting the Vienna convention NOW, my argument was that they ignored all aspects of Vienna Convention then
if Pakistan had accepted his credentials as an Ambassador then the worst it can do is declare him Persona Non-Grata and escort him out as a independent national going on his free will. Arresting him gaging him up ripping his clothes to the point of nudity and handing him over to the US is utter disregard ot Vienna Convention or even the Geneva Convention where simply declaring him terrorist does not make him stateless
My reason for debating was more to show a local example in light vs the Gregorian case that was being used before.
Its not a tit-for-tat debate but im appalled at the inhumanity of treating dignitary – let alone throw him to the dogs
"The Taliban government was not recognized by the US and hence the argument regarding violation of the Vienna Convention becomes null and void"
He US recognize nothing but its own interpretation . We don't recognize the Taliban's (Afghan) resistance against the Christian crusaders( The US and company and Pakistan their slave) but they are beating these bastards well. Pakistan can free Davis in future but no one can protect America from an inevitable destruction owning its own injustice.
"It sends chills down ones spine to note how ruthless the Americans were, total disrgard for humanity …. ".
You are absolutely right but this comment is incomplete. Pakistan's military under Busharraf had become every bit as Satanic as the Americans. We need to speak up against ZULM ظلم wherever we find it. While we defy the Americans, we also need to clean up our own house.
Thank you for this post.
interesting reminder
Congratulations Muslims
Just in 10 years when G Bush told the world Muslims are ignorant voilent people in caves ….Muslims have proved themselves otherwise. Today US president says "Egyptions have inspired us " and the Revolution in Egypt is coined as WHITE REVOLUTION.
They are no one to judge us or pass sentences to us.USA is no one to impose its version of Democracy on people of Islamic world.
I am very happy for Egypt and wish the same for Pakistan.
After dividing the Arab world they thought they will keep us divided for ever and will always rule us through their puppets and pigmies but NOT ANY MORE.
………and SWISS BANKS have FROZEN the wealth of Mr.Mubarak.
How much tormented is Israel tonight perhaps as much as are the Muslims when it bombards sulpher on Palestenians .
How much uncomfertable is the BRITISH and USA gvernment is on the pssibility of MUSLIM BBROTHERHOOD comming into power perhaps as much as Muslims are uncomfertable when Palestinians are murdered.
Indonesia ,Turkey ,Iran …………….I wish Pakistan to join this list as well of Independance Self reliance and self respect …………not too far .
Rabi ul Awal and Friday …………and Muslims have much to celebrate .
i s it not that Taliban was recognized by only 4 nations, Pak, UAE, Iran and Saudi .
so when Afagan was not recognized how can this person get diplomatic immunity?
who knows what he is saying is true?
Just he s a muslim does not mean that he is telling the truth.
If that was the case why do we have so much corruption?
"I am sure the serving Ambassador had full Diplomatic Immunity as accorded to his status under the Vienna Convention"
Doubtful. Pakistan broke off diplomatic relations with the Taliban on November 21, 2001 link. The ex-Ambassador was thus declared persona non grata and had over a week to leave (Article 44 of the 1961 Convention) but did not for some reason did not do so, or else he left and immediately returned. Only after that period was he picked up by Pakistan's security services.
Rules DO NOT apply to the USA !!!! You know that !!!