Col Joseph Hall will face trial in the US, FO assures

Published
26

US Defence and Air Attaché Col Joseph Emanuel Hall, who ran over a biker in Islamabad, will be tried in the United States, the Foreign Office said on Thursday in an attempt to explain his sudden departure from Pakistan.

FO Spokesperson Dr Faisal, while answering a question in his weekly briefing, said that the diplomat could not have been tried in Pakistan because of his diplomatic immunity and was allowed to leave on the assurance that he would be tried in his home country, Radio Pakistan reported.

On April 7, Col Hall had jumped a red light at the Daman-i-Koh Chowk in Islamabad and hit a motorcycle. As a result, two riders of the motorcycle had suffered injuries, and one of them, 22-year-old Ateeq Baig, had later expired from the trauma.

Col Hall had initially avoided arrest because of his diplomatic immunity, but a first information report (FIR) regarding the incident had been registered at the Kohsar Police Station.

He left Pakistan earlier this week, days after the Islamabad High Court ruled that the US diplomat did not have "absolute immunity".

The FO spokesperson today also confirmed that travel restrictions on American diplomats in Pakistan and Pakistani diplomats in US were now in place with both now requiring prior permission to travel beyond 25 miles of where they are stationed.

He also regretted that Moneeza Hashmi, a daughter of Faiz Ahmad Faiz, was not allowed to address an event in India despite being invited as a guest speaker.

He reiterated that Pakistan believes in a two-state solution of the Palestine dispute in accordance with UN resolutions and informed that Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will be attending the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit in Turkey to discuss the Israeli attack on Palestinian protesters in Gaza that killed 60.

Opinion

Editorial

Fixing bond markets
01 Oct, 2026

Fixing bond markets

THE plan to deepen the domestic local currency bond market by allowing the public to trade government securities...
Call centre rackets
01 Oct, 2026

Call centre rackets

A NUMBER of recent raids conducted by the authorities in different cities point to the growing threat fraudulent ...
Homeward bound
01 Oct, 2026

Homeward bound

FIVE months after Somali pirates captured an oil tanker carrying a 19-member multinational crew, Somali maritime...
Kashmir unresolved
Updated 30 Sep, 2026

Kashmir unresolved

The just solution lies in India addressing the issue through a trilateral dialogue involving the legitimate representatives of the Kashmiri people and Pakistan.
Water shortage
30 Sep, 2026

Water shortage

THAT the country is entering the Rabi season with an anticipated water shortage of nearly 25pc, the lowest carryover...
Young hearts
30 Sep, 2026

Young hearts

THE observance may have passed, but the message of World Heart Day should not fade with it. The occasion is a useful...