On the eve of the one-year anniversary of former premier Benazir Bhutto's slaying, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon voiced hope Friday that an independent enquiry panel to probe the killing could be set up soon. Ban "is hopeful that ... the Commission could be established in the near future," a UN statement said.

Ban assured the people and government of Pakistan of "his commitment to contribute to their search for truth and justice." He recalled that at the request of Islamabad, the world body has been consulting with the Pakistani authorities "to determine the nature of the Commission, the scope of its mandate and the modalities for its establishment."

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2008