ISLAMABAD, Aug 29: A high-level commission formed a year ago to investigate the US raid on Osama bin Laden’s hideout in Abbottabad is still unable to complete its report.

The commission headed by former judge of the Supreme Court, Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal, has been keeping quiet and no exact date has been given about when its much-awaited report will be released.

The report of the commission was expected to be completed by December last year as its chairman had said at a press conference on December 11 last year.

When contacted, Justice Javed Iqbal was reluctant to comment on the issue.

“I am hearing a case of a missing person so I will talk to you later,” said Justice Iqbal who also heads a commission formed to look into cases of missing people. However, a source close to the commission said media reports about books on the May 2, 2011, raid could further delay the release of the report because the commission might counter-check such claims to avoid any error and wrong information in the report.

Zikrian Assada, a Yemeni national and brother-in-law of Osama bin Laden, has said at a press conference that his sister (bin Laden’s wife) witnessed killing of Osama bin Laden by US commandos.

He quoted his sister as saying that US Commandos had shot Osama bin Laden dead during the operation in which she herself suffered a bullet injury on her leg.

According to its Terms of Reference (TORs), the commission was tasked with: “ascertaining the full fact regarding the presence of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan; investigating circumstances and facts regarding the US operation in Abbottabad on May 2, 2011; determining the nature, background and causes of lapses of authorities concerned; and making consequential recommendations.”

According to its head, the commission examined more than 1500 witnesses, including officials, surviving members of Osama bin Laden’s family, surviving members of the family of the two Pakistani brothers who were protecting Osama bin Laden, secretaries of government ministries, civilian officials concerned in Islamabad, and local officials, notables, neighbours, media people and military and intelligence personnel of the Abbottabad area.

The commission also conducted five field missions and met with locals of Torghar town and also visited Kala Dhaka.

The commission also examined the extent to which systemic dysfunction, including lack of policy panning and democratically approved framework of national policy with appropriate implementations, oversight and review mechanisms were responsible for the May 2 incident — as well as several serious developments preceding and following the incident.