Pakistan

Abbottabad raid: PML-N reject independent commission

PML-N Chief says the government did not consult Opposition Leader Chaudhry Nisar while forming the commission.

Express June 01, 2011

LAHORE: PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday rejected the government's newly formed independent commission to probe the May 2, US raid in Abbottabad which led to the killing of Osama bin Laden.

The PML-N Chief said that the government did not consult Opposition Leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan while forming the commission to investigate the raid.

Chaudhry Nisar had earlier written a letter to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, in which he claims that the PM did not consult the opposition on the formation of the Abbottabad commission.

The five-member commission announced by Gilani will be headed by Justice Javed Iqbal, a senior judge of the Supreme Court. Other members of the commission are Justice Fakhruddin G Ebrahim, Lt-Gen (retd) Nadeem Ahmed, former police chief Abbas Khan and former ambassador Ashraf Jahangir Qazi. The cabinet secretary will work as secretary of the commission.

Nisar had, however requested that retired judges of higher judiciary and civil society members should be a part of the commission. He said that Asma Jahangir, Justice Fakhruddin G Ebrahim, and Justice (R) Bagwandas should be a part of the commission.

'Opposition was consulted': PPP Ministers Khursheed Shah and Maula Bakhsh Chandio

Speaking to the media in Islamabad on Wednesday Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Khursheed Shah addressed PML (N)’s reservations about the recently formed independent commission, saying the commission on the Abbottabad operation had been formed after consulting all stakeholders in the opposition.

Shah said that Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani had included the name of Justice Javed Iqbal in the commission after consultation.

He also stressed that no one else had objected to the people included in the body as they are all of good repute.

The minister added that if Chaudhry Nisar had any reservations about the commission, then he should apprise the government on them so that the government could clarify them.

Meanwhile another PPP minister, Maula Bakhsh Chandio, also reiterated that the opposition was consulted before the formation of the commission.

He said the report of the inquiry commission will be made public.

COMMENTS (10)

Tahir | 12 years ago | Reply Mian sb. Always have problem we all know that very well. If govt has constituted a commission without consulting Nisar khan what is wrong with that. As long as the members of commission are unbiased, fair and have professional integrity in their respective field no body should be allowed to play dirty politics to delay the matters. Nisar khan is opposition leader and not king of Pakistan that he should be consulted in every single matter. He does nt have any constitutional right to be consulted. If govt is required to consult opposition on every issue then how can we judge when some thing goes wrong?Whom will we blame govt or opposition? Mian sb plz stop political point scoring.

blithe | 12 years ago | Reply @Shahab Khan: Try to make some sense - just occasionally, This is beyond petty MQM politics.

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Mr.Khan | 12 years ago | Reply Hes Right. Put Asma Jahangir & Mehmood Khan Achakzai IN the Commission. Govt is scared of GHQ might get angry if they put Asma & mehmood in , Because Both of them have a History of Being Anti-Establishment. Put GHQ on Stove By Including these two persons.

Truthbetold | 12 years ago | Reply @Shahab Khan, logical stance? You must be kidding. MQM wants to have their cake and eat it too. They refuse to accept responsibility for the failures of the governing coalition but keep providing the PPP government support with ministers in the center and Sindh. What do they actually stand for? Altaf bhai praises the military in one breath while proclaiming in the same sentence that there is cancer inside the security agencies. He did a whole referedum drama post-Abbotabad to take the focus away from criticisms of the security agencies and now the whole thing is never mentioned. MQM rails against the feudals but is aligned with them hand and glove. It is all show and like almost every other political party they cannot be taken seriously either. They have converted to being the establishment's tool which is a very sad thing as they really did have some potential of being a progressive, urban democratic power. The only thing going for them is that they are not religious fundamentalists but that is a pretty thin thread. I am no fan of PMLN and particualrly dislike their ambiguous stance and even sympathies toward religious extremism but I must admit that Nawaz Sharif has taken a courageous stand against the establishment. Lots of people have died opposing the security agencies (recently Saleem Shahzad). Civilian control of security institutions is a must for any true democracy and for any civilized state.

Mirza | 12 years ago | Reply So what did Saudi Arabia tell you to do? Not let the commission work? Why would you not appoint a commission yourself using the names you like or from your innner circle of Punjab govt. Do you know what does it mean to be in opposition? Stop being a dictator and eat a humble pie. Work with the govt and not be a dictator. Poodle to the foreigners and hound for the Pakistani govt. No to foreign aid for the people of Pakistan but money directly sent to Sharifs.

Shahab Khan | 12 years ago | Reply If goverment should consult the opposition in every matter then what is government for Mian Sahab ???????????????? You want that the country should be run according to the opposition despite they are the so called opposition What have you done in Punjab ??????????? Is it good governance ????????????? Both PPP and PML-N are same. The only sensible party seems to be MQM who atleast have a logical stance on issues no matter what anyone says about them

Umar | 12 years ago | Reply Mian Sahab we love you..

Umais | 12 years ago | Reply Great work nawaz Shareef... You are doing very best...system need to empower.our sovergnity is the ke issue... this Abbotabad incidence must not be treated like ordinary one. its attack on every Pakistani Sovergnity and Self Respect..

salim | 12 years ago | Reply This was expected!

Moeen Salahuddin | 12 years ago | Reply Most people in Pakistan agree with Mian sahib.

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