Pak bars three US citizens from travelling out of country

“The Punjab government has asked the Interior Ministry to put the names of the three Americans,including the driver of the US consulate in Lahore,on the Exit Control List,” Pervez Rashid,the spokesman for the Punjab Chief Minister,said.

Rashid said the speeding US consulate vehicle had run over a motorcyclist while going to the aid of Davis.

“If the US consulate does not hand over these three persons to the government for investigation,we should not allow them to leave the country,” Rashid said.

The trial of Davis is expected to start in Lahore next month if immunity is not granted to him,he said.

An Interior Ministry official told The Express Tribune newspaper that the names of the three Americans had been included in the Exit Control List.

The list empowers the government to prevent any person from leaving Pakistan.

The Interior Ministry has also written to the US consulate,asking for the three Americans to be handed over to Punjab Police,the Interior Ministry official said.

He declined to name the three Americans,saying it might compromise the investigation.

The US Embassy said it was not aware of these developments.

“We have not received any such information on the issue as yet,” said Courtney Beale,acting spokesperson for the Embassy.

Davis is currently in police custody in Lahore and Pakistani leaders have rejected US demands for him to be released on the ground that he enjoys diplomatic immunity.