Sharia Law Saves CIA Agent’s Skin, and Hillary Didn’t Inhale Either

Posted on March 17, 2011
Filed Under >Adil Najam, Foreign Relations, Law & Justice
34 Comments
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Adil Najam

The funny part – probably the only funny part – of the entire Raymond Davis fiasco is US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton claiming that “the United States did not pay any compensation” or ‘blood money’ to secure the release of CIA operative Raymond Davis (who had earlier killed two Pakistanis in Lahore and caused the death of at least another two) under the Sharia Law provision of ‘diyat.’ Reminds one of her husband, Bill Clinton’s, famous line that he had smoked marijuana but did not “inhale.”

Not as funny for some, including Ms. Clinton (who, like her husband is also a well trained lawyer and does not inhale), is the fact that whether the US paid it directly or had some fixer of choice – maybe the Saudis (although they deny it) – to pony up the cash it was an arcane and less than endearing provision in Sharia Law that saved this CIA agent’s skin (see images above of court documents, based on Sharia law, detailing the deal and distribution of blood money along Sharia stipulates, paid to victims families – whether by the US or not, but certainly on its behalf).

One wonder’s how all the red state legislatures voting to outlaw Sharia Law in the United States will react to that little factoid.

Personally, I do not find this funny at all: As I suggested yesterday the precedent being set here – on diplomacy, on diyat and blood money, and just for the respect of law – is one that both the US and Pakistan will live to regret.

But so be it. Right now, it is being said that the the family of the third person killed (trampled by a US Consulate car) has also received a hefty payment and possibly US citizenship. Similar Sharia deals were stuck on the US’s behalf with the families of two who Raymond Davis had shot. The nature and structure of these blood money deals with the families are laid out in the court documents above (from Cafe Pyala, where I first saw these). In the case of  Faizan Haider’s family, the distribution of Diyat blood money comes to Rs. 100,000,002 (equivalent to US$1.166 Million); reportedly, the same deal was stuck with the family of the other person killed.

According to Cafe Pyala, the distribution is as follows:

Faizan Haider’s Mother: Rs. 33,333,333/-
Faizan Haider’s Wife: Rs.25,000,000/-
Faizan Haider’s Brother No.1: Rs. 7,575,758/-
Faizan Haider’s Brother No.2: Rs. 7,575,758/-
Faizan Haider’s Brother No.3: Rs. 7,575,758/-
Faizan Haider’s Sister No.1: Rs. 3,787,879/-
Faizan Haider’s Sister No.2: Rs. 3,787,879/-
Faizan Haider’s Sister No.3: Rs. 3,787,879/-
Faizan Haider’s Sister No. 4: Rs. 3,787,879/-
Faizan Haider’s Sister No. 5: Rs. 3,787,879/-

I am afraid that unsavory intended as well as unintended consequence of that bargain will soon engulf both in even more headaches.

Here is a parting question for those who may be US citizens and tax-payers: Will the man who sometimes goes by the name of Raymond Davis reimburse the US taxpayers for the reportedly over US$2.25 million paid under Sharia law to save his skin?

34 responses to “Sharia Law Saves CIA Agent’s Skin, and Hillary Didn’t Inhale Either”

  1. Francis says:

    Don’t know who comes out looking more pathetic in this case, Pakistan or the USA. Both have been miserable in how they treated this.

  2. Aslam says:

    Does anyone know where Mr. Davis is now? In Afghanistan or already back in USA?

  3. Bangash says:

    Why are some commentators accusing the US of “arrogance” in this episode ? The US used Pakistani Shariat laws to get their man out. The same mullahs who are always ready to kill in defense of these Shariat laws, cannot now complain about the laws being applied. I doubt they will be able to make much political hay out of this.

    With Pakistan victory over Australia, this issue has already begun to fade.

  4. Sarah says:

    Funny post. Poor Hillary. First she had to defend a prick of a husband, and now she has to fish out this prick of a spy.

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