Perhaps, the only new element in the Prime Ministers address at the National Assembly on Monday was the remark that Pakistan reserved the right to retaliate with full force, if the US staged another unilateral anti-terror raid in the country. The charge of ISIs incompetence and complicity had been denied earlier also. Mr Gilanis statement was somewhat reassuring to the nation completely distraught by the successful attempt of American helicopters to intrude into, and stay on, Pakistans territory for over 40 minutes and escape with the body of Osama bin Laden whom they claimed to have killed, without our armed forces coming into action to check the aggression. Mr Gilani did not, though, elaborate how he intended to retaliate, with the high degree of professionalism and superb determination that, he said, the US had brought to bear in executing its mission. He also did not specify what response his government was thinking of giving to the White House spokesmans repeated assertions that the Pentagon would not hesitate to launch similar raids in case other high-value targets were found to be living in Pakistan. Merely stating that the raid involved moral and legal issues of sovereignty and that the UN Security Council resolution on anti-terror efforts clearly stated that such actions have to be consistent with international law and human rights, would not satisfy the Pakistani public. While one would not doubt the integrity of a serving General to make an honest assessment of the bin Laden affair in its different dimensions, the Prime Minister would do well to note the demand of opposition leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali that an independent national commission with full authority should be constituted to probe into the whole incident. That would be necessary to set at rest any likely controversy that might arise, if a military officer, howsoever impartial he might be, were to conduct the investigation; some circles might accuse him of bias in favour of the militarys concerned wings, which otherwise appear to be at fault. At the same time, the verdict of a national commission would satisfy the demand of COAS General Kayani, and indeed the entire country, for taking the nation into confidence by laying bare the whole story, since incomplete information and lack of technical details have resulted in speculations and misreporting. And this has aggravated public dismay and despondency. Briefing in-camera of the joint session of Parliament by the top brass is a good idea, provided the public representatives are put in the picture about how all that happened, mainly the incursion by foreign planes and the absence of response from our armed forces. It must be doubly assured that any information that might compromise Pakistans national interest remains with them.