Raymond Davis immunity unclear, says Pakistani High Court (VIDEO)

The Pakistani government again deferred making a decision Monday over whether a C.I.A. agent accused of shooting two Pakistanis has diplomatic immunity.

The government, which has sought to delay making decisions over the case while public anger remains high, blamed the Foreign Ministry for not clearly stating that the contractor, Raymond Davis, was entitled to immunity, states The New York Times.

Pakistan's High Court therefore declined to rule on the immunity question and said the lower court hearing the case should decide, AP reports.

Davis is being investigated for a double murder after allegedly gunning down two Pakistanis on a busy Lahore street in January. He has claimed the men tried to rob him, and he acted in self-defense.

The United States has argued that Davis, a 36-year-old former Green Beret, is a diplomat and therefore entitled to immunity from prosecution in Pakistan.

Davis has not been formally charged, but his murder trial is expected to begin Wednesday.

The case has strained relations between the United States and Pakistan, a key ally in the war against Al Qaeda and the Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan.

The United States hoped the High Court would have supported Davis's case for diplomatic immunity and thereby paved the way for his release.

Watch this GlobalPost On Location video on how the incident is playing with the families of the victims in Pakistan.

— Hanna Ingber Win