Abbottabad commission: Justice Javed Iqbal says no pressure on members
Body completes three-day stay in the garrison city.
ABBOTABAD:
Members of the Abbottabad commission are not under any pressure and the commission is fully empowered, head of the panel Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal said on Thursday.
He was speaking to reporters at the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa House on the conclusion of the commission’s three-day visit to Abbottabad on Thursday.
The commission is looking into the lengthy presence of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan and the May 2 US incursion in which he was killed.
“Anybody detained for investigation into the May 2 episode, including Dr Shakeel Afridi, would not be extradited to the United States, because the Abbottabad operation is not an ordinary issue…(it is) a very important matter,” he firmly said, adding that the episode had shocked the entire nation and triggered the clamour for a powerful commission to compile a report aimed at protecting the country’s sovereignty.
He said that the formation of the commission was in line with the aspirations of the people of Pakistan, and following the completion of the commission’s report, nothing would be concealed from the nation.
Criticising some broadcast media hosts and news anchorpersons, Justice (retd) Iqbal said that although a barrage of propaganda had been unleashed soon after the US operation, none of the television hosts had turned up before the commission to record statements. “The commission had the expectation from the general public and media but they have disappointingly avoided recording their evidence,” he said.
Urging journalists and citizens to come forward and record their statements without any fear and assuring of confidentiality, he said that the names of people recording their statements would be kept secret.
The commission, he said, had completed 33 per cent of its work, but would again visit Abbottabad before finalising its report.
Insisting that the commission was not under any pressure from any quarter, Justce Iqbal said that the panel had also not been approached by anyone.
Without giving a precise timeframe, Justice Iqbal said that the inquiry process might be delayed “a bit”.
The commission was working in accordance with its mandate and its working area and powers were not limited, he said.
Justice Iqbal said that the commission had made some “very strong findings” during its visit to Abbottabad, adding that its final report would be based on those findings.
He said that it would be premature to say about the presence or otherwise of al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad.
He also rejected the notion that Americans had set up a 100-acre air base in the Tarbela-Ghazi area, adding that the commission had paid a detailed visit to the Army Aviation Base in Tarbela but found no trace of such a tract. He said that all institutions, including Pakistan Air Force, were vigilant.
He praised all government departments for their cooperation in collecting evidence and statements.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 16th, 2011.
Members of the Abbottabad commission are not under any pressure and the commission is fully empowered, head of the panel Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal said on Thursday.
He was speaking to reporters at the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa House on the conclusion of the commission’s three-day visit to Abbottabad on Thursday.
The commission is looking into the lengthy presence of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan and the May 2 US incursion in which he was killed.
“Anybody detained for investigation into the May 2 episode, including Dr Shakeel Afridi, would not be extradited to the United States, because the Abbottabad operation is not an ordinary issue…(it is) a very important matter,” he firmly said, adding that the episode had shocked the entire nation and triggered the clamour for a powerful commission to compile a report aimed at protecting the country’s sovereignty.
He said that the formation of the commission was in line with the aspirations of the people of Pakistan, and following the completion of the commission’s report, nothing would be concealed from the nation.
Criticising some broadcast media hosts and news anchorpersons, Justice (retd) Iqbal said that although a barrage of propaganda had been unleashed soon after the US operation, none of the television hosts had turned up before the commission to record statements. “The commission had the expectation from the general public and media but they have disappointingly avoided recording their evidence,” he said.
Urging journalists and citizens to come forward and record their statements without any fear and assuring of confidentiality, he said that the names of people recording their statements would be kept secret.
The commission, he said, had completed 33 per cent of its work, but would again visit Abbottabad before finalising its report.
Insisting that the commission was not under any pressure from any quarter, Justce Iqbal said that the panel had also not been approached by anyone.
Without giving a precise timeframe, Justice Iqbal said that the inquiry process might be delayed “a bit”.
The commission was working in accordance with its mandate and its working area and powers were not limited, he said.
Justice Iqbal said that the commission had made some “very strong findings” during its visit to Abbottabad, adding that its final report would be based on those findings.
He said that it would be premature to say about the presence or otherwise of al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad.
He also rejected the notion that Americans had set up a 100-acre air base in the Tarbela-Ghazi area, adding that the commission had paid a detailed visit to the Army Aviation Base in Tarbela but found no trace of such a tract. He said that all institutions, including Pakistan Air Force, were vigilant.
He praised all government departments for their cooperation in collecting evidence and statements.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 16th, 2011.