A Pakistani court on Thursday postponed until next month a hearing on the diplomatic immunity of an American killed two local men, a case that has brought relations between Islamabad and Washington to the breakpoint.
The postponement to March 14 is likely to be met with exasperation in Washington, where Obama's government has urged Pakistan to free Raymond Davis consular employees and avoid establishing a precedent for trials of U.S. officials . abroad.
The High Court in Lahore granted a government request to postpone the hearing on whether Davis, a former Special Forces soldier who shot and killed two men on January 27, is protected by diplomatic immunity.
Davis, who is assigned to the U.S. Consulate. UU. in Lahore, said he was acting in self defense during an armed robbery in the city.
Pakistan is a major U.S. ally in the fight against Islamist militants on the border with Afghanistan.
However, the government of President Asif Ali Zardari, fighting its own insurgency and fight to hold together a fragile political coalition, is reluctant to turn popular anger in a case that has galvanized anti-American sentiment.
Pakistani authorities, calling for a delay, may be trying to buy time for the stresses may come and go officials can work behind the scenes to negotiate a solution to your dilemma.
"Hang Raymond Davis," read one banner in the court complex.
The delay could embolden U.S. politicians threatens to review billions of dollars in U.S. aidPakistan needs to equip its armed forces, reconstruction after the floods last year punish and combat rampant poverty.
Many U.S. officials believe that the generous aid has not brought the full cooperation of Pakistan to eliminate Taliban and Al Qaeda militants hiding along the Afghan border.
Islamabad may ask for U.S. officials considered close relatives of the dead Davis "and try to work out an agreement with them," said political analyst Ejaz Haider.
There is growing speculation that the U.S. could re payment of compensation or blood money, as required under Pakistani law, but the United States might be reluctant to support the payment of what it considers a case self-defense.
Waseem Shamshad, brother of one of the dead men, ruled out the possibility of reaching any agreement with the U.S. government or Davis. "We maintain our position that there is no possibility of patching up with them," he told Reuters.
DAVIS CASE FOR EXPLOSIVES FEELING
Pakistan can not ignore the potentially explosive emotions on the shooting, which also resulted in the death of a third man hit by a U.S. vehicle who came to rescue Davis.
One of the widows of the dead men committed suicide, more fueling passions in a country already outraged by the escalation of U.S. strikes drones in the northwest.
Al Qaeda Taliban Pakistan has warned the government to punish any move to free Davis, adding to concerns about a backlash as the popular demonstrations brought sweeping political changes in Egypt and elsewhere in the Muslim world.
While U.S. officialshave said that the Justice Department conducted a criminal investigation itself, it is unclear whether such a probe would lead to a trial.
Adding to the confusion is the dark about the role of Davis in the U.S. consulate. While embassy officials have said Davis was part of technical and administrative staff of the consulate, many locals have accused Davis of being a spy. (Additional reporting by Zeeshan Haider and Augustine Anthony in Islamabad Rebecca Conway; Writing by Missy Ryan, edited by Michael Georgy and Dean Yates)
