Pak SC rejects Lakhvi plea seeking acquittal

Pakistans Supreme Court dismissed LeT commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvis petition seeking his acquittal in the Mumbai attacks case.

Pakistans Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed LeT commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvis petition seeking his acquittal in the Mumbai attacks case,saying it was not the proper forum at this stage to take up the matter which is yet to be decided by an anti-terrorism court.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry said Lakhvi could approach the higher courts after his case is decided by the anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi. It dismissed the petition of Lakhvi,the operations chief of LeT,after his counsel withdrew the plea.

Lakhvi and six other suspects are at present being tried by the anti-terrorism court on charges of planning and facilitating the Mumbai attacks.

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Lakhvi had contended in his petition that the charges against him were based solely on the confession of Ajmal Amir Kasab,the lone Pakistani terrorist arrested alive for the 2008 attacks,and that the prosecution had no other evidence. He had sought his acquittal in the case in the anti-terrorism court and the termination of criminal proceedings against him.

Malik Rab Nawaz Noon,the advocate who represented the government in the Supreme Court said: Lakhvis counsel argued that Kasabs confessional statement had no evidentiary value in Pakistan but the judges were not in agreement.

The Bench observed that Lakhvi could approach the higher courts once the anti-terrorism court gives its decision,Sultan said. pti