Another American arrested in Pak

A Muhammad

Peshawar, Feb 26 (PTI) As the US-Pak diplomatic standoffover the arrest of an American for double murder persists,another US national has been held in Pakistan for his allegedillegal stay in the country following expiry of his visa.

Aaron Mark DeHaven was arrested by security agencies inPeshawar yesterday and booked under the Foreigners Act oncharges of illegally residing in Pakistan after his visaexpired in October last year.

A Pakistani court today remanded him to judicial custodyfor 14 days.

DeHaven had come to Pakistan on a business visa andmade some investments in the country, officials said.

He had no connection with any NGO and was running his ownbusiness, they said, adding he did not possess valid traveldocuments.

The American was detained in the posh UniversityTown area of Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwaprovince.

TV news channels claimed he worked as a securityguard for foreigners in Peshawar. They also reported thatDehaven was married to a Pakistani woman.

The development comes at a time when US-Pakistanrelations have plunged to a new low over the arrest of analleged CIA contractor, Raymond Davis, after he shot andkilled two armed men in Lahore last month.

In Washington, the State Department said the US isarranging through Pakistan government consular access toDeHaven.

"We''ve seen reports that Aaron Mark Dehaven has beendetained by police in Peshawar, and we are arranging consularaccess through the Government of Pakistan," State Departmentspokesman P J Crowley told reporters.

Crowley said he had no other information aboutDehaven.

About Davis, the spokesman noted that the American, whowas arrested on January 27, presented before a Pakistani courtyesterday his papers related to diplomatic immunity.

"... he presented the court with a copy of a diplomaticnote that affirms his full immunity from criminal prosecution.

The court received that document and indicated that it wouldtake the matter under consideration, and I believe there''sanother hearing scheduled for March 3," Crowley said.