KARACHI, Feb 21: A businessman, Mirza Aslam Baig, who had moved a writ petition for registration of a case against the security personnel of the American consulate for kidnapping, beating and confining him illegally on March 22, 2005, withdrew his petition.

The petitioner alleged that he was handed over to the Artillery Maidan police, which also detained him for six hours before releasing him on the condition that he would not lodge a first information report of the incident.

Mr Baig said he was surrounded and whisked away by the security personnel of the US consulate near Awami Markaz, Sharea Faisal. He reported the incident to the Baloch Colony police station but the SHO declined to register his complaint. His counsel, Akhtar Ali Channar, said the petitioner had suffered great mental agony and financial loss but the police was indifferent to his plight.

The counsel told the division bench headed by the chief justice that he would rather sue the respondents for damages. The petition was allowed to be withdrawn. The consulate claimed immunity from the proceedings but a security official sent an affidavit by post.