LAHORE: Pakistan will pursue murder charges against a US consular employee for killing two armed men possibly intent on robbing him, a top prosecutor said Friday. The government, already frequently criticized for being subservient to the United States, will likely come under domestic pressure to be tough on the American. There were several small protests around the country after midday prayers, calling for the American to be punished. In a sign of the political sensitivities of the case, Interior Minister Rehman Malik was asked by a lawmaker in parliament whether he was trying to set the American free. “I will never abet a criminal,” replied Malik. A third Pakistani was killed in the incident Thursday in the bustling city of Lahore after being hit by a US vehicle rushing to aid the American, who also in a car, according to police, who have said the driver could also face charges. Police officer Umar Saeed said the American, who has not been named by American authorities, had told officers he had withdrawn money from an ATM shortly before the incident, raising the possibility the two men were following him. Other Pakistani officers have said the men were likely robbers, were on a motorbike and both were carrying pistols. Rana Bakhtiar, Deputy Prosecutor General for Punjab, said the state would pursue murder charges. “He has killed two men. A case is registered against him on murder charges,” he said. Bakhtiar spoke after the American appeared in a court in Lahore where judges ordered him to remain in police custody for six days. The man has been named by Pakistani officials but the US State Department says the name is incorrect. The US Embassy has not said what position the man held at the consulate in Lahore or whether he qualifies for diplomatic immunity. In a two-sentence statement, the US Embassy confirmed that a consulate staffer “was involved in an incident yesterday that regrettably resulted in the loss of life.” The US was working with Pakistanis to “determine the facts and work toward a resolution,” it said.
