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Mumbai attack mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, whose detention under a public security order was suspended by the Islamabad High Court on Monday, has submitted a Rs 1 million surety bond and is likely to be released soon.
“We have submitted the surety bond worth Rs 1 million in court,” Lakhvi’s counsel Raja Rizwan Abbasi said, according to a PTI report from Islamabad. Abbasi added that Lakhvi is likely to be released from Adiala Jail any moment now.
Asked about the high court ruling suspending Lakhvi’s detention order, Abbasi said, “The judge has directed Lakhvi to appear in person in every hearing of the trial court (in the 26/11 attacks case) after his release.” An official source told PTI that some activists of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) had gathered outside the jail to welcome Lakhvi upon his release.
Read Also: Pakistan court suspends detention of Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi
Meanwhile, hours after the high court ruling, India on Monday summoned the Pakistan envoy and conveyed Delhi’s “strong concern” at the lack of effective action by Islamabad in the case.
While Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit, the Indian mission also took up the matter with the Pakistan Foreign Office in Islamabad.
“Basit was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs by the Foreign Secretary today afternoon. The Foreign Secretary conveyed strong concern at the lack of effective action by Pakistan’s prosecuting authorities after the Anti-Terrorism-Court ordered the release of internationally designated terrorist Lakhvi, whose involvement in the Mumbai terror attack is well known,” MEA spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said.
“It was once again conveyed that we expect the Government of Pakistan to abide by the commitment conveyed to us, including at the highest level, that expeditious steps would be taken to bring all those responsible for the heinous acts of terrorism in Mumbai to justice and that it was extremely disturbing that despite the assurances we have been receiving over the last six years, and the recent tragedies in Pakistan, there seems to be no end in sight to Pakistan remaining a safe-haven for well-known terror groups,” he said.
A Pakistani court had on December 18 granted bail to Lakhvi, the LeT operations commander, sparking outrage in India. The following day, Lakhvi was detained by Pakistani authorities for three more months, under the Maintenance of Public Order. On Monday, the Islamabad High Court suspended the government order on Lakhvi’s detention.
Lakhvi is among the seven Pakistani nationals accused of planning and abetting the terror attack in Mumbai on November 26, 2008 that left 166 dead.
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