Abbottabad raid: JUI-F opposes PML-N demand for independent panel

Maulana Fazlur Rehman says a commission will only complicate things further.

ISLAMABAD:

The chief of his own faction of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) has opposed the demand by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for an independent commission to investigate the May 2 killing of al Qaeda godfather Osama bin Laden in a US commando operation in Abbottabad.

“In my opinion, it is not a wise move and will only complicate things further,” Maulana Fazlur Rehman told the media after a meeting of his party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) here on Sunday. “It’s unlikely the government will set up a commission because accountability  of the army and intelligence agencies will be difficult for it,” he added.

The PML-N had rejected a commission announced by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani earlier this month, saying that leader of the opposition Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan was not consulted on the composition of the commission.

On May 13, a joint closed-door session of parliament had adopted a resolution calling upon the government to set up an independent commission to investigate the Abbottabad raid.

Though the military has already quashed speculation about a full-scale operation in North Waziristan, the cleric said, if launched, such an operation would have catastrophic consequences. He also criticised the government’s counter-terror policy, saying that, if not changed, the rulers would be responsible for more bloodshed.

The JUI-F chief also censured the PML-N for its plans to take the issue of new opposition leader in the Senate to the Supreme Court. “Parliamentary matters must be settled in parliament,” he said. “The Supreme Court is not subservient to the PML-N that they approach it for petty issues.”

Senate Chairman Farooq Neak had notified JUI-F’s Maulana Ghafoor Haideri leader of the opposition in the Senate after the resignation of Senator Waseem Sajjad.

He said that the JUI-F had support of majority opposition lawmakers in the upper house of parliament, therefore, its mandate should be acknowledged.

Earlier the CEC of the Maulana’s party sought to revive the now defunct alliance of politico-religious parties, called the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA).

“The JUI-F will invite politico-religious leaders and persuade them to make the MMA operational,” JUI-F Secretary General Maulana Ghafoor Haideri told The Express Tribune.

The CEC had discussed a raft of issues, including delay in the constitution of an independent commission to probe the Abbottabad raid, terrorist attack on PNS Mehran in Karachi, controversy over the appointment of opposition leader in the Senate and the newly established Pak-Afghan joint commission.

Asked about the controversy over his nomination as opposition leader in the Senate, Haideri said that the CEC has condemned the PML-N’s approach as “undemocratic, unethical and unconstitutional”.

Chairman Farooq Naek has agreed to review his decision, but Haideri said, “Neither the PML-N can challenge the appointment in the Supreme Court nor can the Senate chairman review his decision.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 13^th, 2011.