News
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
Probe into Abbottabad incidentGovernment forms 5-member commission
* Supreme Court’s Justice Javed Iqbal to head commission
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: The federal government, on Tuesday, constituted a high-powered five-member commission to investigate the events surrounding “intelligence lapses” and al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden’s death.
The primary purpose behind the formation of the commission under a serving Supreme Court judge, Javed Iqbal, is to dispel the doubts about the objectivity of the investigation.
Following the demands from US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her recent visit to Pakistan and a deadline given by the country’s opposition and religious parties to the government, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, in an unprecedented move, announced the formation of the commission. But, he did not assign any time limit to the probe body.
An official statement issued on Tuesday said the commission was mandated with four major tasks – to ascertain full facts regarding the presence of bin Laden in Pakistan, investigate circumstances and facts regarding US operation in Abbottabad on May 2, determine the nature, background and causes of intelligence breakdown, if any, and make consequential recommendations. Other members of the probe body are Fakhruddin G Ibrahim, Lt Gen (r) Nadeem Ahmad, former ambassador to US Ashraf Jahangir Qazi and former inspector general Abbas Khan. Establishment Division Secretary Nargis Sethi has been designated as secretary of the commission.
Sources informed Daily Times that as far as the TORs (terms of reference) and timeframe were concerned, the commission would present its suggestion in this respect after its initial meetings.
It is said that the commission would not only visit the Abbottabad site but also record statements of scores of military and civilian leaders besides seeking the help of civil society and neighbouring community in Abbottabad to come forward to record their statements on the incident.
Whether US ambassador or anyone from ISAF or NATO personnel would be summoned by the commission is not clear yet, but the sources hope that given the interest of US authorities in such a probe, they might agree to record statements under complete diplomatic immunity through their State Department.
“Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, during a meeting of the corps commanders on May 4, informed media that a probe into the incident at army level was already underway and its findings might also be accessed by the commission,” said the sources.
Former law minister Babar Awan, however, defined some outlines when he, on the Supreme Court premises, told reporters that the commission would be empowered to summon anyone and ask anything about the operation.
He also mentioned that no political personality was made part of the commission, and said that the nature and scope of the probe body would be to formulate a long-term strategy and policy for the government after looking into the Abbottabad incident.
Babar said the commission would furnish its recommendations on the country’s security policy after the completion of its inquiry. These recommendations would help the government draw its future roadmap in the war on terror and security issues, he added.
Babar also urged the opposition not to indulge in point-scoring on the matter and wait for the commission’s findings and recommendations.
He pointed out that three high-powered commissions – Hamoodur Rehman commission, 9/11 commission and Bombay Attack commission – had been constituted and none of them were meant to raise fingers on anyone but were aimed at overhauling the security apparatus as well as help the concerned governments design a strategy for the future.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk