The Commission critically evaluated and provided analysis to "ascertain full facts regarding the presence of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan" and thoroughly "investigated circumstances and facts regarding the American operation in Abbottabad on 2 May 2011." The commission extensively interviewed local residents of Abbottabad, government ministers, military officials, and investigative espionage journalists.
The commission's final report included 300 witnesses and reviewed 3,000 official documents over two years. The final report was based on public testimonies and was prepared by the Senior Justice Javid Iqbal. The reports were submitted to Prime Minister Pervez Ashraf in January 2013 and were marked as "classified" by the government. No details were made public despite the requests of officials. By early 2012, only a few portions were released to the media. The Abbottabad Commission Report was released by Al Jazeera on 8 July 2013.[2]
The main conservative party in the country, the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N), criticized Prime Minister Gillani for a failure to initiate a probe into the May US incursion in accordance with the resolution adopted during the joint secret session of parliament.[6] Despite Prime Minister Gillani addressing his concerns to PML-N,[7] the party pushed for an independent commission to be formed.[6] The PML-N persuasion was that "it did not want the armed forces to face another fiasco like the 1971 war or the Kargil misadventure".[8]
After meeting with the Lieutenant-General Shuja' Pasha of the ISI, Justice ministerBux Chandio hinted that the commission would be formed after the consultation.[9] In June 2011, Prime Minister Gillani announced the intent to form the commission under Supreme Court's Senior Justice Javed Iqbal.[3]
The 700-page report was prepared after the commission interviewed 300 witnesses and reviewed 3000 documents.[11] The commission submitted its report to prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf in January 2013.[12]
