Pakistani court delays ruling whether US official, accused of double murder, has diplomatic immunity

A Pakistan court on Thursday put off ruling whether a US official accused of double murder has diplomatic immunity, threatening to prolong a crisis with Washington for another month.
  
The court adjourned until March 14, extending tensions between the United States and Pakistan, where an anti-American population of 167 million is ruled by a weak and unpopular government closely allied in the US war in Afghanistan.
  
Raymond Davis, whom Washington insists has diplomatic immunity, claims he acted in self-defense when he shot dead two men in a busy street in the eastern city of Lahore on January 27.
  
A third Pakistani died when struck by a US diplomatic vehicle that came to Davis's assistance. The American was then arrested by Pakistani police, who have rubbished his claim of self-defense and accused him of double murder.
  
"As the deputy attorney general has requested three weeks to submit a reply on the status of Raymond Davis, the case is adjourned until March 14," Lahore high court chief justice Ijaz Mohammad Chaudhry said.