OBL probe to be completed in Dec

ISLAMABAD - Abbottabbad Commission head Justice (r) Javed Iqbal said on Thursday that the probe into the May 2 incident is expected to be completed by the end of December, and the commission has recommend government to make the report public. But it will be up to the government to decide whether to publicise the findings or not, said the leader of the five-member team investigating the clandestine raid of US special forces that killed former al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden. It is hoped that the recording of the evidence will be completed by the end of December and the writing of the Commission Report as early as possible, Justice Javed told media persons during a press conference, where all the members of the commission were present. The head of the commission said that a letter had been sent to President Asif Ali Zardari in his capacity of PPP co-chairman, asking him to answer the commissions questions. However, if a question arises about his immunity for his being the president, the commission will see its mandate, he added. But he made it clear that all institutions were equal before the commission and no one would be meted out exceptional treatment because of ones position, and the commission would summon under his mandate anybody whom it deemed important. Justice Javed said Pakistan High Commissioner to UK Wajid Shamsul Hasan would also be summoned, if needed, over of his statements that some key government officials had prior knowledge of the OBL operation. Javed Iqbal said, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed (Chief of Awami Muslim League) will be summoned before the commission on Dec 13, adding that Khawaja Asif (PML-N leader) will also be summoned by the commission on Dec 14. On the Memogate scandal, Justice Javed said that the issue had nothing to do with the Abbottabad raid, but added that Husain Haqqani had already been summoned on Dec 14 to explain to the commission the large number of visas to US nationals that were issued through the embassy in Washington. The envoy has been asked if there had been any scrutiny during the issuance of visas and to whom they were issued to, he added. Replying to another question about illegal presence of foreigners in the country, the justice said, it is the work of the interior ministry to find out who is entering the country illegally. In response to a question on if it was actually bin Laden who was killed at the compound, the retired justice said that if the commission disclosed that fact right now there would be nothing left to tell. Justice Iqbal said presence of CIA in Pakistan was also being investigated, adding that it would be mentioned in the report. To a question he said that the commission received threats but continued its work. He said that the Commission was considering to examine evidence collected by US Navy Seals from compound, but that it had not so far made a formal request. According to US authorities it might take six months to get the evidence translated into English or some other language as the original evidence was in Arabic, he said adding that it could be time consuming. Justice Javed said that investigations were still underway and more than 100 people had given their statements so far. These include Bin Ladens family members, intelligence agency personnel, government officials and political parties. He once again appealed that people having any information regarding the May 2 raid should come forward, giving the assurance that their statements will be kept secret and their identity would not be revealed. He made it clear that there was no slackness on part of the commission to delay the investigation process and stressed that their assignment was multi-dimensional having different aspects. The commission was formed to ascertain facts regarding bin Ladens presence in Pakistan, to investigate the circumstances surrounding the US operation, to determine the nature, background and the security lapse on part of the authorities, if any, and to make consequential recommendations.

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