Abbottabad panel to question envoy to UK
In interviews with foreign media, the envoy did not rule out the possibility that Pakistani leadership, both civilian and military, might have been “aware beforehand” about the midnight operation in the garrison city, in which the US claimed it killed al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden.
An Indian TV channel telecast an interview of Wajid Shamsul Hassan during which he claimed that the Pakistan government was aware of the operation and further stated that Bin Laden’s presence in the area was known 10 days before the operation took place.
He has been asked to appear before the panel by the end of this month.
However, it is yet to be ascertained whether Shamsul Hassan, who, notably, did not attend an important conference of Pakistani envoys in Islamabad on Monday, will appear before the commission.
An alleged memo written after the raid to the then US military chief seeking American help to rein in the country’s powerful military created ripples in the country and cost former envoy in Washington Husain Haqqani his job.
Haqqani was also scheduled to appear before the commission on December 14.
An official associated with the commission told The Express Tribune that Haqqani has not confirmed whether he will appear before the panel yet, but is likely to give a final reply today (Tuesday).
The commission will also be meeting today (Tuesday) but the official said he was not aware of the agenda of this meeting.
Interestingly, in its official announcement, the commission did not mention a specific date on which it wants Ambassador Shamsul Hassan to appear before it. It only stated that he has been called to appear in the last week of December.
The official handout further said that during Monday’s hearing the commission held a detailed interactive session with eminent legal experts including Wasim Sajjad, Justice Nasira Iqbal and SM Zafar.
On Thursday, head of the Abbottabad Commission Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal in his first press conference since assuming charge claimed that the commission was hopeful to complete its task by end of December and would hand over its report to the government soon afterwards.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 13th, 2011.
COMMENTS (18)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
"His Excellency" was arrested and was allegedy sick while lying handcuffed in hospital on criminal charges during Farooq leghari's presidency. He was later released on bail and wasted no time to fly back to london. He never returned to pakistan eversince. This was a case waived under the ill-reputed NRO. Zardari whose name frequently appeared in corruaption cases, appointed his excellency as high commissioner when the peoples party came into power a third time. His excesslency's name also appeared in reports that some documents were tampered with in the files returned by the swiss court who was trying zardari and his late spouse for corruption and money laundruing. His excellency was fearful that if he comes to pakistan in the envoys conference or his being summoned up by the abbottabad commission he might suffer the same fate as that of husain haqqani, so he didn't come. Clever, isn't it?
This man lacks the basic skills to represent the Nation, as diplomat !!! He is too error prone !!!!
@amir jafri: Language doesnt prove anything. Pakistan as a nation have been fed lies since gaining independence and thats the problem not the language. A culture and heritage based on lies and not on principles will only breed leaders who follow those same principles.
Pakistan is in the grip of the Ba Ba Blacksheep class, the ignoramuses from the english-medium. That "education" simply produces Jobbers and these Kavvas in swan's attire are laughed at , ridiculed, and butt of jokes throughout the world. No one, but no one, is so eager to be enslaved than these Colony-dwellers ( lover to call their Mohallaas as Colonies).
IYOu can NEVER NEVER NEVER advance in an alien tongue..Europe TRANSLATED, Arabs Translated, Today EVEY nation TRANSLATES in their own languiage to advance...and here these toata-mainaas, monkey-donkeys revel and rejoice in their new-found slavedom to trash their everything that is local , indigenous or national.
The ULTIMATE form of enslavement is when you yourself start hating your image in the mirror. Even your masters are bewildered at such mutation. You certainly are another species...on a lower evolutionary scale
Pakis should realize they live in the most corrupt country in the world. The two institutions creating and spreading corruption are the Army (of occupation) of Pakistan and the Piratical Plunderers of Pakistan, the PPP. The former claims to save Pakistani from India but sucks the life blood of the nation for the benefit (life style) of its Officers. The latter claims to bring Democracy to Pakistan, but perpetuates Feudalism and Despotism. Pakistan Army has no loyalty to the Pakistani state or to the citizens of the Republic. Never mind loyalty, they do not even have respect. . As long as PPP rules and the Army is not turned around to respect the nation and citizens, Pakistan will always play a subservient role to whoever greases the palms of those at the realm. Yesterday it was America, tomorrow it might be China. But remember for each perceived Insult and Kick Pakistan received from America, China will probably dish out 10.
This character is another in the long line of Ba Ba Blacksheep, the ones raised in the hatcheries of Macauley to continue their Kaloo-colonialism...
The have an inbred detestation for muslims and Islam...These quislings Kummees (serfs) are/were working to cast Islami-Pakistan in the image of their lord..their Master!
Seems like the establishment and its "all weather slaves" are more furious over why the most wanted terrorist got busted than how he was residing in that place. Apparently they already know the answer to the second riddle, pointing to complicity at the highest level.
@Seher Siddiqui: Please enlighten us of the secret funds?
The conspiracy thickens, with each day a spoon of curd milk is added.
I have NO faith in finding out the truth. That is not a part of our national character.
He is not coming ! He did not even come to the ambassador's meet. Something fishy, eh ?
check out gen.zia-udin nterview . he has clearly stated that brig. ijaz shah was protecting osama with the cosent of musharaf. can this so-called commission summon both these ex- army men or its just zardari friends who r being falsely involved in this episode of OBL opersation
Fascinating -- still absolutely no interest in finding out who was protecting OBL - total focus on finding out who may have assisted the USA in killing the most wanted terrorist on the planet. Says something rather onerous about Pakistan.
Wajid Shamsul Hassan is another Haqqani in serving AQQA( the BOSS) at the cost of the country they represent. He is on record loading documents at Geneva and misusing secret funds at the disposal of High Commissioner. Audit Paras can be referred in his case.
Let the "TRUTH (Actual one)" be known to this "Unfortunate Nation"...