Dead Pakistani officer's body bore torture marks

The body of Pakistani investigation officer Kamran Faisal, who was probing a power projects case involving Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and who was found hanging, bears torture marks, his relatives have alleged.

Mohammad Iqbal, an uncle of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Assistant Director Faisal, told Geo News that the investigation officer was frequently receiving threatening calls from unidentified people.

Iqbal said he saw torture marks on the arms, back and wrist of the deceased while he gave him a full body ablution ritual before the burial.

He said that after seeing those marks, he has doubts that Faisal did not commit suicide but was murdered.

His body was taken to his hometown in Mian Channu in Punjab after his autopsy was completed. He will be laid to rest Saturday.

Faisal, engaged in the investigation of the power plants case involving Ashraf and 15 others accused of receiving kickbacks, was mysteriously found dead in his room Friday.
He was found hanging from a ceiling fan when NAB officials broke into his room.

However, Faisal's father Abdul Hamid Kamboh, a retired official of the agriculture department, was reluctant for a post-mortem, saying he did not blame anybody.

He confirmed his son was under immense pressure due to the high profile case, but added that his son was a man of strong nerves and could not commit suicide.

Faisal's cousin and close friend Tayyab also termed it a murder, claiming that the NAB official could never commit suicide.

A three-member medical board has also expressed doubts at the death. "This is not like what is being said," a board member said.

NAB insiders told Geo News that Faisal, who had written the report on the case, was "mentally tortured" by senior officials to change the report but he refused to budge.

Islamabad Inspector General of Police Bani Amin said he has constituted an investigation into the case.