Raymond Davis
In this January 28, 2011 file photo, security officials escort Raymond Davis, a US consulate employee, center, to a local court in Lahore. — Photo by AP

KARACHI: US national Raymond Davis was assigned to protect a CIA team tracking militants in Pakistan, British newspaper The Guardian said in its report.

On January 27, Davis was familiarising himself with a "sensitive area" of Lahore.

The report quoted US officials as confirming that CIA agent Raymond Davis had worked for the private security contractor Xe, formerly known as Blackwater. The officials also disclosed that Davis had been providing security for a CIA team tracking militants.

Davis was attached to the CIA's Global Response Staff, whose duties include protecting case officers when they meet with sources, the report said. On the day he shot two Pakistanis in Lahore, he was familiarising himself with a "sensitive area" of the city.

Moreover, The New York Times, Washington Post, Associated Press and other media outlets reported for the first time that Davis was a CIA employee, the report said.

The US media outlets said they had been aware of Davis’ status but kept it under wraps at the request of US government officials who said they feared for his safety if involvement with the CIA was to come out.

US officials further claimed that Davis was at risk in the Lahore prison.

Opinion

Editorial

X post facto
Updated 19 Apr, 2024

X post facto

Our decision-makers should realise the harm they are causing.
Insufficient inquiry
19 Apr, 2024

Insufficient inquiry

UNLESS the state is honest about the mistakes its functionaries have made, we will be doomed to repeat our follies....
Melting glaciers
19 Apr, 2024

Melting glaciers

AFTER several rain-related deaths in KP in recent days, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority has sprung into...
IMF’s projections
Updated 18 Apr, 2024

IMF’s projections

The problems are well-known and the country is aware of what is needed to stabilise the economy; the challenge is follow-through and implementation.
Hepatitis crisis
18 Apr, 2024

Hepatitis crisis

THE sheer scale of the crisis is staggering. A new WHO report flags Pakistan as the country with the highest number...
Never-ending suffering
18 Apr, 2024

Never-ending suffering

OVER the weekend, the world witnessed an intense spectacle when Iran launched its drone-and-missile barrage against...