Osama Inquiry and Widows’ Interrogation
By Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd.)
Westridge, Rawalpindi
PM Gilani informed the house that an inquiry into the Osama episode has been ordered and is to be conducted by the Adjutant General, Pakistan Army. To my mind, this Osama affair has two distinct aspects to be looked into. One: Osama’s undetected and prolonged stay in Pakistan and that concerns ALL the intelligence agencies of the country – both civil and military. Two: Intrusion of the US armed forces deep inside Pakistan territory, which proves the operational failure of the military – army and air force. Since it is a matter of great national import and involves civil, army and air force, the inquiry should be headed by either of the following:
A specially constituted Parliamentary Committee.
A Judge of the Supreme Court – preferably serving.
Ministry of Defense - by the Minister or the Defense Secretary (civilian).
Obviously, the Inquiry Committee (or Commission) will have members from the Army, Air Force, ISI, IB, FIA, and Police.
I have no qualms about the integrity or professionalism of the AG Pakistan Army, but just to make the inquiry absolutely transparent and acceptable to all, it must be headed by an entirely neutral person.
Osama’s widows: Neither should Pakistan herself interrogate Osama’s widows nor should it allow the US to do so during the period of their iddat, which must be respected in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The US administration is well aware of Islamic laws under which the release of Raymond Davis was secured by them recently.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
