Pak rebuts allegations of ISI role in journo death

The Pakistani military on Friday dismissed as 'unfounded and baseless' allegations linking its spy agency Inter Services Intelligence to the abduction and killing of journalist Syed Saleem Shahzad and said the murder should be thoroughly probed by a commission.

A spokesperson for the Inter-Services Public Relations expressed concern at "unfounded and baseless insinuations" in a section of the print and electronic media "against the ISI in regard to the murder" of Shahzad.

"Such negative aspersions and accusations were also voiced against the ISI in some previous cases but investigations proved those wrong," the spokesperson said in a brief statement.

The military "strongly supported the formation of a commission to investigate the murder" of Shahzad.

"The case must be investigated thoroughly and facts made known to the people," the spokesperson added.

Shahzad went missing while driving from his home to a TV station in Islamabad on May 29, two days after he alleged in an article that the Pakistan Navy had been infiltrated by Al Qaeda.

His body, bearing marks of torture, was found in a canal in Punjab province the next day.

Journalists' organisations and rights groups have alleged that the ISI was linked to the abduction of Shahzad, a charge that has already been denied by the powerful spy agency.

Meanwhile, the Pakistani military on Friday also refuted reports that elements in the security forces tipped off militants about the Central Intelligence Agency locating two bomb-making factories in Waziristan tribal region, allowing the rebels to escape.

A spokesperson of the Inter-Services Public Relations "strongly refuted" reports in the media quoting unnamed US sources as saying that "elements in the Pakistan security

forces tipped off terrorists, helping them to escape the purported IED factories in Waziristan".

"This assertion is totally false and malicious and the facts on ground are contrary to it," the spokesperson said.

Intelligence was received regarding four compounds suspected of being used as facilities for making improvised explosive devices, the spokesperson said.

"Operations were launched on all. Two were found to be used as IED-making facilities and have been destroyed. Information on the other two proved to be incorrect. Some persons have been arrested and they are under investigation," the spokesperson said.

Reports in the US media had said CIA chief Leon Panetta had confronted Pakistan's military leadership with evidence of collusion between militants and Pakistani security officials during a visit to Islamabad on June 10.

During a meeting with Pakistan Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Inter-Services Intelligence head Lt Gen

Ahmed Shuja, Panetta presented evidence of the alleged collusion.