Islamabad: Rejecting Opposition demand for a Parliamentary probe into the recent air crash that killed Pakistan Air Force (PAF) chief air marshal Mushaf Ali Mir and 16 others, the government has constituted a high-power committee to investigate the mishap and said it would be helped by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

"The FBI is assisting Pakistan in probing the plane crash," Defence Minister Rao Sikandar Iqbal told reporters in the Parliament on February 26.

Opposition had raised suspicion that the February 20 military plane crash might have resulted from the testing of a new aircraft-jamming technology by US forces in the region and had pressed for a debate and Parliamentary inquiry.

"There are reports in international media that the United States is testing air- craft jamming technology in the region as part of its preparations to attack Iraq," Liaqat Baloch, a leader of the six-party Islamic alliance Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) told the National Assembly.

Rejecting Opposition allegations, Iqbal said the inquiry committee is comprised of technical, operational and medical officials to ensure investigations from all angles, including whether it is a sabotage incident. "The public will be informed at the earliest," he said.

The Minister said government would share the results of the probe with the National Assembly, but declined to give the specific time-frame for the completion of inquiry, adding it would be put before the House once it is completed.

The Opposition allegation of American hand in the death of Mir was based on the fact that he had opposed giving bases to the US military in Pakistan to launch attacks in Afghanistan as part of its war on terror.

Sikander turned down the Opposition demand to form an inquiry committee of National Assembly, comprising Treasury and Opposition members, to probe the Kohat air crash.

Both Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali and Iqbal promised to present before the National Assembly the report of already constituted high-level inquiry committee of Pakistan Air Force.

Jamali dismissed the allegations, charging the Opposition with attempting to "twist" the incident to "take political mileage."

"Playing to the gallery is not a fair thing. The inquiry committee is doing its work and there is no need to be touchy and itchy about it," he said on February 26 in the Assembly.

PTI