ISLAMABAD – Taking notice of the harassment faced by the witnesses at the hands of intelligence agencies, head of the Abbottabad Commission has ordered an inquiry into the incidents, reported BBC on Tuesday.
According to sources in the Abbottabad Commission, the members of the panel were informed about the behaviour of spy agencies as they recorded the statements of witnesses, who said the intelligence officials, especially those of ISI, used to stop them and asked about the details of proceedings as they returned after appearing before the commission.
The Abbottabad Commission was formed to investigate the happenings related to killing of Osama bin Laden in the May 2 operation conducted by US Navy SEALs and his unnoticed hiding in Pakistan.
Justice (r) Javed Iqbal, who heads the probe panel, has expressed his annoyance over the developments and described it meddling in the working of the commission.
He has formed a committee, comprising the military officials associated with the commission. The committee has been tasked to ascertain the officials and the agency, which trying to hinder the probe.
Some witnesses told the commission that the ISI men summoned them and asked several questions, while in some instances, they also ‘suggested plausible answers’, before they visited the panel for recording their statements.
The whole episode surfaced when a witness, who lives near the Osama compound, arrived at the commission hours after the scheduled time. He informed the commission members that the ISI personnel stopped and grilled him, which caused the delay.
Later, Justice (r) Javed Iqbal questioned other witnesses whether they had to face similar treatment and their answer was in affirmation. Some of them revealed that the ISI personnel grilled them about the question asked by the commission and their replies.
Hundreds of people, including witness and civil and military officials, have appeared before the commission to record their account, while the panel is currently busy in finalising the report.