ISLAMABAD // The disclosure that an American in custody for shooting two people last month works for the CIA is likely to further complicate an already strained relationship between Pakistan and the United States, analysts said.
The US has put pressure on Pakistan to release Raymond Davis and described him as a diplomat. But American newspapers over the weekend identified Mr Davis as a "protective officer" involved in giving protection to CIA case officers.
His arrest has erupted into a bitter diplomatic standoff between Pakistan and the United States, Pakistan's biggest financial benefactor and its ally against terrorism.
Mr Davis, 36, was taken into custody after a daylight shooting in Lahore on January 27. He shot and killed two motorbike riders, who he said were trying to rob him. Another person was killed when a US backup vehicle hit him. Veiled warnings have been issued that Pakistan can lose the financial and military aid it receives from the US. American delegations, most recently one led by Senator John Kerry, have visited Pakistan to get Mr Davis released.
Pakistan has, so far, tried to deflect the pressure by stressing that the courts will determine Mr Davis's status. But the government has acknowledged that differences persist between the countries as stated by Prime Minister Yusaf Raza Gilani on Monday when he addressed MPs in Islamabad.
A Pakistani court last week delayed a hearing in the case until March 14.
Mr Davis has become a symbol of everything that has gone awry in the relationship between the two countries. He is portrayed by nationalists as a symbol of American arrogance.
Anti-American sentiment has increased steadily in the country. Conspiracy theories are rife, casting doubts regularly on American intentions and actions. There is anger in the country over US drone strikes that target the Taliban and al Qa'eda.
The relationship between the Central Intelligence Agency and the Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate, the Pakistani counterpart, has also become strained. The CIA station chief in Islamabad was called back in December after his name was revealed in the media.
Pakistani security officials say that while they continue to cooperate with the US, efforts by the US to establish its own, independent intelligence network in the country would be counter-productive.
"Americans have to work with us, not behind our backs", said an intelligence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Arif Rafiq, a Washington-based analyst and editor of The Pakistan Policy Blog, said: "Washington's admission that Davis is a contract security officer for the CIA gives the ISI an opportunity to restore the balance of power between it and the CIA.
"The ISI has been discomfited by the growing covert and unattended American presence inside Pakistan, which has allowed the US to pursue operations at odds with the Pakistani military's strategic objectives" Mr Rafiq said.
"For Washington to get Davis back, it might have to agree to a new code of conduct for its operatives in Pakistan, including increased monitoring by their Pakistani counterparts", he said. "This could reduce Washington's ability to monitor" terror organisations.
The disclosure that Mr Davis worked for the CIA did not come as a big surprise here. American assertions that Mr Davis is a diplomat held little weight in the eyes of a sceptical public.
Details of Mr Davis's alleged activities and the equipment recovered from his vehicle were leaked by Pakistani security officials to the media.
Nationalists and right-wing Islamic political parties have demanded that the government not release Mr Davis.
The media have continued to give extensive coverage to the shooting.
The government of the ruling Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP) has felt the heat as rifts appeared in the party over how to deal with the crisis.
A suggestion last month by President Asif Ali Zardari to hold a conference to deal with the shooting and American pressure was knock down by opposition parties.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi, a politician belonging to the PPP, lost his job as the foreign minister after he insisted that Mr Davis does not enjoy "blanket immunity".
Fauzia Wahab, another ruling party MP, also lost her job as information secretary of the PPP she expressed a similar view.
Behind the scenes, there have been hectic negotiations between Pakistani and US officials to work out a face saving, according to government officials.
Omar R Qureshi, editor of Karachi's The Express Tribune, said: "The fact that Raymond Davis works for the CIA is not altogether unexpected given Pakistan's strategic significance.
"The fact that he is here wouldn't be something that Islamabad wouldn't know, since it would have issued the visa. However, the Pakistani public may have a hard time digesting this and a solution favourable to the US may now be even more difficult".
Of course, Mr. Qureshi said, "nothing is impossible in Pakistan".
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Cases of coronavirus in the GCC as of March 15
Saudi Arabia – 103 infected, 0 dead, 1 recovered
UAE – 86 infected, 0 dead, 23 recovered
Bahrain – 210 infected, 0 dead, 44 recovered
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Qatar – 337 infected, 0 dead, 4 recovered
Oman – 19 infected, 0 dead, 9 recovered
About Proto21
Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group
NINE WINLESS GAMES
Arsenal 2-2 Crystal Palace (Oct 27, PL)
Liverpool 5-5 Arsenal (Oct 30, EFL)
Arsenal 1-1 Wolves (Nov 02, PL)
Vitoria Guimaraes 1-1 Arsenal (Nov 6, Europa)
Leicester 2-0 Arsenal (Nov 9, PL)
Arsenal 2-2 Southampton (Nov 23, PL)
Arsenal 1-2 Eintracht Frankfurt (Nov 28, Europa)
Norwich 2-2 Arsenal (Dec 01, PL)
Arsenal 1-2 Brighton (Dec 05, PL)
Results:
2.15pm: Handicap (PA) Dh60,000 1,200m.
Winner: AZ Dhabyan, Adam McLean (jockey), Saleha Al Ghurair (trainer).
2.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 1,200m.
Winner: Ashton Tourettes, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel.
3.15pm: Conditions (PA) Dh60,000 2,000m.
Winner: Hareer Al Reef, Gerald Avranche, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
3.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 1,700m.
Winner: Kenz Al Reef, Gerald Avranche, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
4.15pm: Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup (TB) Dh 200,000 1,700m.
Winner: Mystique Moon, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
4.45pm: The Crown Prince Of Sharjah Cup Prestige (PA) Dh200,000 1,200m.
Winner: ES Ajeeb, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel.
FIRST TEST SCORES
England 458
South Africa 361 & 119 (36.4 overs)
England won by 211 runs and lead series 1-0
Player of the match: Moeen Ali (England)
Titan Sports Academy:
Programmes: Judo, wrestling, kick-boxing, muay thai, taekwondo and various summer camps
Location: Inside Abu Dhabi City Golf Club, Al Mushrif, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Telephone: 971 50 220 0326
The biog
From: Ras Al Khaimah
Age: 50
Profession: Electronic engineer, worked with Etisalat for the past 20 years
Hobbies: 'Anything that involves exploration, hunting, fishing, mountaineering, the sea, hiking, scuba diving, and adventure sports'
Favourite quote: 'Life is so simple, enjoy it'
Previous men's records
- 2:01:39: Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) on 16/9/19 in Berlin
- 2:02:57: Dennis Kimetto (KEN) on 28/09/2014 in Berlin
- 2:03:23: Wilson Kipsang (KEN) on 29/09/2013 in Berlin
- 2:03:38: Patrick Makau (KEN) on 25/09/2011 in Berlin
- 2:03:59: Haile Gebreselassie (ETH) on 28/09/2008 in Berlin
- 2:04:26: Haile Gebreselassie (ETH) on 30/09/2007 in Berlin
- 2:04:55: Paul Tergat (KEN) on 28/09/2003 in Berlin
- 2:05:38: Khalid Khannouchi (USA) 14/04/2002 in London
- 2:05:42: Khalid Khannouchi (USA) 24/10/1999 in Chicago
- 2:06:05: Ronaldo da Costa (BRA) 20/09/1998 in Berlin
Earth under attack: Cosmic impacts throughout history
- 4.5 billion years ago: Mars-sized object smashes into the newly-formed Earth, creating debris that coalesces to form the Moon
- 66 million years ago: 10km-wide asteroid crashes into the Gulf of Mexico, wiping out over 70 per cent of living species – including the dinosaurs.
- 50,000 years ago: 50m-wide iron meteor crashes in Arizona with the violence of 10 megatonne hydrogen bomb, creating the famous 1.2km-wide Barringer Crater
- 1490: Meteor storm over Shansi Province, north-east China when large stones “fell like rain”, reportedly leading to thousands of deaths.
- 1908: 100-metre meteor from the Taurid Complex explodes near the Tunguska river in Siberia with the force of 1,000 Hiroshima-type bombs, devastating 2,000 square kilometres of forest.
- 1998: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks apart and crashes into Jupiter in series of impacts that would have annihilated life on Earth.
-2013: 10,000-tonne meteor burns up over the southern Urals region of Russia, releasing a pressure blast and flash that left over 1600 people injured.
How Beautiful this world is!
Roll of honour 2019-2020
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Hurricanes
Runners up: Bahrain
West Asia Premiership
Winners: Bahrain
Runners up: UAE Premiership
UAE Premiership
}Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes
UAE Division One
Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II
UAE Division Two
Winners: Barrelhouse
Runners up: RAK Rugby
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
Fighter profiles
Gabrieli Pessanha (Brazil)
Reigning Abu Dhabi World Pro champion in the 95kg division, virtually unbeatable in her weight class. Known for her pressure game but also dangerous with her back on the mat.
Nathiely de Jesus, 23, (Brazil)
Two-time World Pro champion renowned for her aggressive game. She is tall and most feared by her opponents for both her triangles and arm-bar attacks.
Thamara Ferreira, 24, (Brazil)
Since her brown belt days, Ferreira has been dominating the 70kg, in both the World Pro and the Grand Slams. With a very aggressive game.
Samantha Cook, 32, (Britain)
One of the biggest talents coming out of Europe in recent times. She is known for a highly technical game and bringing her A game to the table as always.
Kendall Reusing, 22, (USA)
Another young gun ready to explode in the big leagues. The Californian resident is a powerhouse in the -95kg division. Her duels with Pessanha have been highlights in the Grand Slams.
Martina Gramenius, 32, (Sweden)
Already a two-time Grand Slam champion in the current season. Gramenius won golds in the 70kg, in both in Moscow and Tokyo, to earn a spot in the inaugural Queen of Mats.
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
How to help or find other cats to adopt
Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
The specs: 2018 Maserati GranTurismo/GranCabrio
Price, base Dh485,000 (GranTurismo) and Dh575,000 (GranCabrio)
Engine 4.7L V8
Transmission Six-speed automatic
Power 460hp @ 7,000rpm
Torque 520Nm @ 4,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.3L (GranTurismo) and 14.5L (GranCabrio) / 100km
Five expert hiking tips
Always check the weather forecast before setting off
Make sure you have plenty of water
Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
Take your litter home with you