US tells Pak to release Davis or face consequences: report

Rezaul H Laskar

Islamabad, Feb 11 (PTI) US President Barack Obama''sNational Security Advisor summoned Pakistan''s Ambassador todeliver a threat from the President � release the Americanofficial arrested for gunning down two men in Lahore by Fridayor "face the consequences", according to a media report.

National Security Advisor Tom Donilon told AmbassadorHussain Haqqani that the administration will "kick Haqqani outof the US", close US consulates in Pakistan and cancel anupcoming visit by Pakistan''s President to Washington if USofficial Raymond Davis is not released from custody by Friday,ABC News channel quoted two unnamed Pakistani officials assaying.

Donilon reportedly conveyed the warning to Haqqani onMonday evening.

The "outlines of the threat" were also confirmed toABC News by a senior US official who was not authorized tospeak on the record.

White House spokesperson Tommy Vietor declinedcomment.

Haqqani denied the development via Twitter, saying ina message that no "US official, incl the NSA, has conveyed anypersonal threats 2 me or spoken of extreme measures".

Davis, 36, was today sent to jail for 14 days by acourt in Lahore even as city police chief Aslam Tareen said hehad been charged with murder as there was no proof to back hisclaim that he had acted in self-defence when he shot andkilled the two men on January 27.

Davis has claimed that he opened fire after the twoarmed men followed his car and tried to rob him.

Video emerged this week of Davis showing his StateDepartment credentials to Pakistani police officers during aninterrogation and saying, "I''m a consultant".

Davis is in Pakistan on a diplomatic passport and theUS has demanded his immediate release on the grounds that heenjoys diplomatic immunity.

The stand-off between Washington and Islamabad hastaken the tense relationship between the two countries to anew low.