Pak govt sets up commission to probe anti-graft official's death

Islamabad: The Pakistan government formed a judicial commission to investigate the mysterious death of a senior anti-graft investigator who was probing corruption allegations Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf. Former Supreme Court judge Javed Iqbal will head the commission that will investigate the death of Kamran Faisal, an Assistant Director of the National Accountability Bureau. Iqbal had earlier headed another judicial panel that investigated Osama bin Laden’s presence in Pakistan and the May 2011 US raid that killed the al-Qaeda chief. The commission was given two weeks to complete its investigation and submit its report to the government. The government formed the commission under growing speculation about Faisal’s death. [caption id=“attachment_595433” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Pakistani policemen shift the dead body of Kamran Faisal, who was investigating a corruption scandal involving Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and was found dead in the government hostel in Islamabad. AFP[/caption] The official was found hanging from a fan in his room in the Federal Lodges, a government hostel, on Friday. A preliminary autopsy report concluded he had committed suicide but his relatives have cast doubt on the findings, saying his body bore several injuries. Faisal was one of two investigation officers probing allegations of graft in “rental power projects” that were cleared when Raja Pervez Ashraf was the Power Minister. The Supreme Court had directed NAB in March last year to take action against Ashraf and over 20 other suspects. Last week, the apex court directed National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to arrest Ashraf and the other suspects. NAB chief Fasih Bokhari told the court that he lacked evidence to make arrests. Bokhari said investigators had not uncovered enough evidence against any of the suspects. Faisal and the other investigation officer were recently suspended after they submitted a report on their probe to superiors. PTI