WASHINGTON, Feb 1: The United States has accused Pakistan of violating the Vienna Convention by detaining one of its diplomats, who is currently in police custody for shooting down two men in Lahore last week.

“When he was detained, he identified himself to police as a diplomat and repeatedly requested immunity under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations,” State Department spokesman P. J. Crowley told journalists in Washington.

Asked why the detained American was carrying a gun, Mr Crowley said: “Well, first of all, we’re talking about a US diplomat. We have called for his immediate release. He is a member of the embassy’s technical administrative staff and therefore entitled to full criminal immunity.”

The US believes that this person “cannot be lawfully arrested or detained in accordance with the Vienna Convention” because he is a diplomat.

“In our view, he acted in self-defence when confronted by two armed men on motorcycles,” Mr Crowley said. “He had every reason to believe that the armed men meant him bodily harm.”

Referring to the two men killed by the detained American, the US official noted that only “minutes earlier, the two men, who had criminal backgrounds, had robbed money and valuables at gunpoint from a Pakistani citizen in the same area”.

A journalist reminded Mr Crowley that a photocopy of the detained person’s visa — published by Dawn — showed that he had entered Pakistan on an official, and not a diplomatic visa, which allowed Pakistani authorities to arrest him.

“I think that the Pakistanis are arguing that would be a reason for him not to receive diplomatic immunity,” the journalist said.

“Look, this is a matter that we are still discussing with the government of Pakistan, but you’ve heard the United States view on this,” Mr Crowley replied.

Asked if the State Department had confirmed the name of this person who has been identified as Raymond Davis by the Pakistani media, Mr Crowley said: “I’m not at liberty to talk about his identity yet.”

Last week, Mr Crowley told a similar briefing that Raymond Davis was not his real name.

“Can you say where he is?” a journalist asked. “He remains in custody,” the official replied.