Raymond Davis

Islamabad, Feb. 16 (PTI): Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani today made it clear that the fate of the American official who killed two men in Lahore will be decided by the courts or relatives of the victims.

The US has insisted that the arrested man, Raymond Davis, who worked at the American embassy, is covered by diplomatic immunity. However, it has also offered to conduct a criminal investigation into the matter.

During a meeting with Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman John Kerry, who was sent to Pakistan by the Obama administration, Gilani said bilateral ties should not be held hostage to the Davis issue.

Earlier, the Prime Minister told the National Seerat Conference, a gathering of clerics and religious scholars, that the matter “is for the courts to decide or if the relatives of the dead men grant pardon” to Davis. Gilani’s remarks come after President Barack Obama stepped into the row for the first time, saying Pakistan should release the American on grounds of diplomatic immunity.

Media reports quoting unnamed Pakistani officials said the two countries, after a tense standoff that lasted weeks, were near a deal to repatriate Davis.