The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) staff protested against the sudden and unfortunate death of their comrade Kamran Faisal, who was found dead in a room in Federal Lodges.
The NAB investigative officers in a meeting with the Director General (DG) NAB Rawalpindi chapter, Mr Khurshid Anwar Bhinder remonstrated against the mysterious death of their colleague, and heightened their disquietude. They declared that after the death of their colleague it possibly could not be business as usual for the staff of the NAB.
Kamran’s family has also shown their skepticism over the initial medical report pronouncing a verdict of suicide. Kamran’s family maintains his body bear the signs of torture. With every passing day, the mystery of the death of Kamran Faisal is deepening and it looks more like a murder than a suicide.
There are many improbable circumstances raising the latencies of the foul play. It has been reported on 16th January Kamran Faisal was called for a meeting in NAB central office in Islamabad, to discuss the RPC cases with DG financial crimes investigation wing Mr Kausar Malik. He was later convoked by Chairman Fasih Bukhari. Reports suggested, he was coerced to change his statement to the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Reportedly, at the meeting the demands were made to him to exclude PM Raja Ashraf from the suspects list in RPC cases. Kamran declined to exclude PM from the investigations of the case, he also spurned the efforts compelling him to sign a blank stamp paper.
Police sources confirmed, Kamran’s room was already visited by NAB officials before Police appeared on the scene. Presence of NAB officials in Kamran’s room before arrival of the Police team raises question marks on the conduct of the NAB officials. Therefore, the NAB officials have to explain their presence in the room, at a possible crime scene.
There is another conundrum of Kamran’s laptop mysterious disappearance. NAB officials also have to explain the disappearance of Kamran’s laptop. They were the only people on the scene before the arrival of the police. A renowned journalist working for the News twitted, probably sarcastically, that the laptop of Kamran would be found in the resident of Malik Riaz.
In a related development Pakistan’s Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has withdrawn the review petition in this case. Wasim Sajjad, the counsel for the PM told reporters he had withdrawn the petition on PM’s order.
The tweeter is buzzing with the rumors of Chariman Fasih Bukhari’s direct involvement in the death of Kamran Faisal. Whatever is the veracity of the rumors. Nonetheless, the Chairman of the NAB has some explaining to do.
It has been said, NAB staff is in possession of evidence of Chairman’s involvement in the death of Kamran Faisal. They are ready to hand over the evidence to the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Media reports say, the NAB investigative officers have declared the death of Kamran a homicide, after their initial investigations. These revelations are gradually putting the Chairman Fasih Bukhari in an untenable position. Sooner or later he would be facing the calls for his resignation.
We can safely assume tomorrow’s hearing in the Supreme Court of Pakistan would be an interesting affair. The evidence in possession of NAB investigative officers can truly put the cat among the pigeons.
Latest updates on the case, provided details of exchange of SMS messages between Kamran and his friends. Kamran requested from one of his friends for advice, if he should sign a blank paper demanded from him by DG Human Resources, to backdate the request of Kamran’s removal from RPC case. The reports and contents of the SMS if accurately reported by the press, proves a deep rooted conspiracy within the NAB to handle the storm created by Kamran Faisal’s honest investigations of the RPC case.
Kamran’s friend in response to SMS, advised him not to make such grave error. He also advised Kamran to switch off his mobile and lock the door of his room before going to the bed. This advice of Kamran friend demonstrates with certainty, he was aware of the danger faced by Kamran.
The SMS exchanges between the friends show without any ambiguity, Kamran was not only worried about his safety. He had spoken to his friends about the dangers he faces because of his honesty. And the pressure he was under to change the direction of the investigations to spare Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf from involvement in the corruption charges.
Surely, in that case the blame would not just end with Fasih Bukhari, but it would lend on the doors of the Prime Minister and the President. Prime Minister Raja Ashraf name is among the accused in RPC case, making him a direct beneficiary of the death of Kamran Faisal.
The gathering storm after the death of Kamran Faisal is pointing to the possibility that the President and Prime Minister would also be under tremendous pressure.
Admiral (Rtd) Bukhari held a meeting with the President Zardari to discuss the case and take directions from the President, days before the untimely demise of Kamran Faisal.
The most disturbing and unusual aspect of this sad saga is the involvement of President Zardari in cases under investigations by NAB. Under the parliamentary form of democracy, the President is only a figurehead. He should have no say in the affairs and running of the government.
Unfortunately, in Pakistan abiding by the rules, regulations and the constitution is not fashionable. President Zardari has been running the government as a de-facto ruler for last five years. The Pakistani press has bunked its responsibilities by not building the pressure on the President to distance himself from the affairs of the Governments.
The government has announced formation of one man Judicial Commission to investigate the death of Kamran Faisal. It would be the responsibility of Justice (Rtd) Javaid Iqbal to investigate all aspects of the unfortunate death of a young investigative officer of the NAB. Justice Iqbal also need to explore indirect or direct involvement of the PM and the President in RPC case. NAB investigation officers have already expressed their reservations on the impartiality of the commission formed by the government.
Chairman NAB, Mr Fasih Bukhari has some explaining to do. He needs to explain, his reasons for him taking directions from the President and Prime Minister in this case. Instead of maintaining NAB’s independence and objectivity to investigate corruption cases in Pakistan.
This could turn out to be Pakistan’s Watergate. Pakistanis need their faith restored in the rule of the law. Pakistanis should demand full and impartial investigations of the death of Kamran Faisal and exposition of the culprits, irrespective of their position within the government.
It needs to be investigated properly, and not swept under the carpet like many important cases before it. Failure to do so would result in Pakistanis start to take the law into their own hands and chaos would spread in the country.
Far too long, the corrupt politicians have got away with day time robberies and unsolved murders.
When states fail, it is the leadership that is the root cause. According to the famous English proverb, “a fish rots from the head down”.
well described. the system has become rotten and so-called conciliation strategy has corrupted it throughly. The removal of Zardari from presidency (whether it is unconstitution) is the first and vital step as a remedy. Conciliation is against the democratic norm as it only prolong their rule puting state’s interest and security at stake.