Osama panel questions military intelligence chief

A Pakistani panel, investigating US raid to kill Osama bin Laden in northwestern city of Abbotabad on May 2, on Wednesday questioned country’s military intelligence chief who gave his perspective of the US operation, the commission said. The Commission is also investigating the presence of the al-Qaeda chief in Pakistan for years and the security agencies could not get any information about his presence.  The Commission, headed by a former Supreme Court judge, also carried out detailed examination/ inspection of recovered items and material evidence from alleged Osama Compound, a statement said.  The Commission conducted exhaustive interviews of Director General Military Intelligence in the General Headquarters Quarters in the garrison city Rawalpindi and Inspector General Police of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa Province, it said.  The Commission has already taken statements and investigated the wives and daughters of Osama bin Laden and they are no more required to answer the Commission.  The Commission had earlier restrained the Pakistani authorities from handing over the Osama family members to any country.  The Commission conducted an exhaustive interview of the Director General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Lt. General Ahmad Shuja Pasha, two times to know his perspective leading to the Abbottabad incident.  The panel has suggested registration of treason charges against a doctor who helped a fake CIA vaccination program in an attempt to obtain DNA from the al-Qaeda leader's family.  Dr. Shakil Afridi was arrested by the Pakistani security agency days after the US military helicopters killed the most wanted man in a compound where he was believed to have lived for years.  The US had reportedly pressurized Pakistan to release Dr. Afridi but the authorities have rejected the US demand.