Islamabad: An American diplomat who struck a Pakistani motorcyclist in a fatal road accident earlier this month has been barred from leaving the country, pending a civil court case, Pakistani officials said Wednesday.
The US military attaché, Col. Joseph Emanuel Hall, is accused of running a red light and killing Ateeq Baig on April 7.
Hall enjoys diplomatic immunity, so he cannot be arrested or tried. But the two Pakistani officials said Baig's family has filed a civil case against him, hoping for compensation. They said Hall's name was added to a "blacklist" by the government this month.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to talk to reporters.
The US embassy said it was in touch with Pakistan about the travel restrictions, without elaborating. Officials refused to disclose Hall's location for safety and security reasons. However, Pakistani official say he has not left the country.
The embassy has previously expressed condolences to Baig's family, which this month rallied in Islamabad, demanding justice.
Baig's father, Mohammad Idrees, has said he is willing to discuss pardoning Hall. Under Islamic law, the family of a victim can pardon a killer in the name of god or after getting compensation.
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