ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf Friday requested the top judge of Pakistan to set up an independent commission headed by Dr Shoaib Suddle to investigate the allegations against him in the Rental Power Project (RPP) case.

In a letter to Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, the prime minister said he was writing this letter in his capacity both as a citizen of Pakistan and as the prime minister.

He said that sometime back he appeared before the Supreme Court to demonstrate publicly that he was not above the law.

The premier regretted that a totally unwarranted and unending smear campaign had been unleashed against him and his family in recent years by certain vested interests, which had compelled him to make this request.

“It is also extremely demeaning for the State particularly when I hold such a high office,” he stated.

The prime minister said he considered it expedient to ask to take the case away from NAB and give it to an independent commission in order to effectively deal with the allegation that the government was using its influence on the case.

He mentioned that the apex court had also adopted such a course in a recent sensitive case when a one-man commission was constituted under Dr Shoaib Suddle.

The premier wrote the RPPs policy may not have turned out to be as robust and effective as its planners had expected it to be notwithstanding that it was carried out diligently and in good conscience. “I acted in the manner I sincerely believed was in the best interest of Pakistan, in order to solve the country's chronic electricity shortage that was afflicting our people and badly damaging our economy,” wrote the PM.

“With the NAB inquiry getting unduly prolonged and mired in all sorts of controversies, I feel hurt when my reputation and that of my family is continually tarnished by subjective perceptions that I was in any way instrumental in not letting NAB conduct its investigations in a dispassionate, objective and credible manner.”

Prime Minister Ashraf, by referring the recent death of NAB's Investigation Officer Kamran Faisal, said that a lingering suspicion has been created that the government is exerting undue pressure on the investigation bureau in order to save influential people from possible prosecution.

He wrote the Supreme Court had shown confidence in Dr Suddle and he (Ashraf) also regards him as an officer with a proven record of competence and impeccable integrity. “I believe that with his investigative background/ experience he is the right person to independently probe the case,” he added.