ISLAMABAD: The grief-stricken officers of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Monday went on a countrywide pen-down strike and locked their offices in protest against the killing of their colleague Kamran Faisal, as text messages by the RPPs scam case investigator have revealed that he was under pressure and concerned about his security.
“DG HR WANT AFFIDAVIT IN BACK DATE REGARDING CHANGE FROM CASE; KIA KAROON,” was among the text messages (reproduced without changes) that deceased Kamran Faisal exchanged with one of his close friends in NAB, three days before his mysterious death.
The friend responded to him not to do so, strictly advising him to switch off the mobile phone. “Lock ur room door from inside before sleeping”, he messaged Kamran.
His last message was from a friend, received at 7:58:41am on January 18, in which he wished him good luck, praying that Allah freed him ‘from all worries on this blessed day (Friday)’. By the time it was sent, Kamran had left this world of worries and his body was hanging inside his room.
As the mystery deepens about the alleged suicide of the NAB’s Assistant Director Kamran Faisal, his exchanges few days before death provide some missing links belying the NAB claims that he was removed from the case on Jan 7 before he committed ‘suicide’ and there was no pressure on him.
The text messages also give a tour inside the situation he was passing through, intensely under pressure from the bosses and deeply concerned about his personal safety.
After his death, Kamran’s friend and key witness to his situation is also under grave risk amid concerns and demands of the well-wishers for beefing up his security. There is also an exchange of messages between the two friends containing verses showing their profound love for Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
As the case is in the spotlight since his mysterious death occurred at the height of NAB’s tension with the Supreme Court, it is being said that the court may order the record of his phone calls and text messages either from cellular companies or from the agencies that have been authorized to conduct surveillance after the passage of a law of fair trial from parliament.
As for the messages about the anxiety following pressure from the NAB bosses, they started on January 15.A friend and colleague inquired from Kamran about his location at 9:46pm on January 15. He responded: “WITH DG HQ.” He continued: “DG HR WANT AFFIDAVIT IN BACK DATE REGARDING CHANGE FROM CASE.” In the same message, Kamran sought the friend’s opinion: “KIA KARUN (what should I do?).”
As there is no response from friend, he said: “CALL ME.” In the same message, he sent a verse about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): “kitab-e-hasti k her warq pe, jo nam-e-Muhammad raqm na hota…Wajud-e-hasti ubhar na sakti, wajud-eloh-o-qalam na hota…Zameen na hoti, falak na hota, Arab na hota Ajam na hota.” His friend continued those verses: “Ye mehfal-e-kon-o-makaan na hoti, ager wo SHAH-E-UMAM na hotay.”
Then the friend asked him if he was in office, he replied he had left the office and reached the hostel.
The next day on January 16, the same friend, concerned about Kamran, asked him about his location at 9:42:26pm. Then he added: “We r all worried abt u. kia ho raha ha aur wapsi kab ha (what are you doing and when expected to return?).”
Texting with reference to pressure on Kamran for submitting an affidavit from the back date, the friend advised him: “kabi mat dena apnay hath khud na katwana (Never give in to the affidavit demand. Don’t cut off your own hands yourself.”
There was no response from Kamran and the friend continued texting him the messages: “Progress???.” Then requests Kamran to visit him: “Aa jao na????.” Again that friend advised him not to give the affidavit: “Afidavit kabi mat dena apnay hath na katwana.” He continued at 10:41:11pm on January 16: “Good aur kal seedha SC jana Allah bless u (Go straight to SC tomorrow, God Bless you.”
The friend then sent a word of caution at 11:14:26pm on January 16: “Switch off ur mobile and lock ur room door from inside.” Agencies add: Wearing black bands onto their arms, the protesting officers of the bureau rejected the judicial commission headed by Justice (R) Javed Iqbal and demanded that the commission be headed by a serving judge of Islamabad High Court (IHC) or ex-director general FIA Tariq Khosa or Justice (R) Khalilur Rehman Ramday.
According to reports, the protest demonstrations we held at the NAB officers in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and other major cities. The protesting employees said that according to family Kamran Faisal had been murdered but the government was staging the drama of his suicide to mislead the public.