— Photo by AFP

ISLAMABAD/MANSEHRA/HARIPUR, Sept 13: Members of the commission investigating the circumstances surrounding the killing of Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad in a US commando attack in May this year, flew on Tuesday over the likely route adopted by American helicopters during the operation. They also visited the compound where the Al Qaeda chief was killed.

According to an official handout, the commission members were given a briefing on the configuration of the compound. They spent about two hours there, visited each part of the compound to get an in-depth understanding of its layout.

Earlier, the commission landed at Kala Dhaka and met notables of the area. It interviewed people with knowledge of the landing of the American helicopters in the area on the fateful night. The commission also conducted extensive interviews of the civil officers of the area and local people.

Later, the commission flew to the Ghazi Aviation Air Base in Tarbela where it received a detailed briefing from the base commander.

The commission also visited Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul. The commandant of the academy briefed them on the events after the US operation. He also gave a detailed account of the measures adopted on ground by the quick response force of the PMA, local police and other security agencies for rescue operation and the cordoning off of the area.

The commission will record statements of witnesses at the KP House in Abbottabad on Wednesday.

Our correspondent adds from Mansehra: Members of the commission visited the Kander area of Torghar district and interviewed eyewitnesses on Tuesday.

Chairman of the commission Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal and its members Lt-Gen (retd) Nadeem Ahmad, Abbas Khan and Ashraf Jehangir Qazi visited the area where the US helicopters had landed before carrying out the operation in Abbottabad.

The commission recorded the statement of Abdul Munaf, who allegedly met the US special forces during their one-and-a-half-hour stay in Kander and interrogated him. Police and district administration officials were not allowed in the room where the statement was recorded.

The commission remained in the area for about two hours under tight security provided by police contingents and Frontier Constabulary personnel from various districts of Hazara.