Islamabad, December 31: The Pakistan government has decided to challenge in the Supreme Court 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi’s conditiol bail granted by the Islamabad High Court while he challenged his two–day judicial remand in another case. The government’s petition, prepared by the attorney general, will be filed by the Islamabad district administration. It will present the stance that the Islamabad High Court did not hear the government’s version while granting bail to Lakhvi, Dawn online reported.
On Monday, the Islamabad High Court ordered the conditiol release of Lakhvi, asking him to deposit a security bond of Pakistani Rs.1 million (around $9,000). Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi presided over Monday’s hearing in response to Lakhvi’s petition, seeking an end to his detention.
But another court in Islamabad on Tuesday sent Lakhvi to two days’ judicial custody in an abduction case a day after the Islamabad High Court court approved his release.
Earlier on December 18, Lakhvi was granted post–arrest bail by an anti–terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad. However, the federal government extended his detention in the Adiala Jail under the Maintence of Public Order Ordince. Lakhvi is among the seven persons charged with planning and helping to carry out the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. The six other men facing trial in Adiala Jail for their alleged involvement in the Mumbai attacks are Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Yous Anjum, Jamil Ahmed, Mazhar Iqbal and Abdul Majid. At the time of the terror attacks in Mumbai, Lakhvi was believed to be the operatiol head of the banned Laskhar–e–Taiba (LeT) that has been accused by India of being the perpetrator. Lakhvi, along with Zarar Shah, was allegedly the key planner of the attack that killed 166 people and left over 300 injured in Mumbai.
Meanwhile, Lakhvi on Wednesday challenged his two–day judicial remand in the abduction case. Lakhvi’s counsel Rizwan Abbasi petitioned a district and sessions court, saying a false FIR had been registered due to pressure from India. A court in Islamabad Tuesday sent Lakhvi to two days’ judicial custody in the abduction case a day after the Islamabad High Court court approved his release. The remand came in the wake of a second first information report (FIR) lodged against him in Islamabad. According to the FIR, Lakhvi was involved in the abduction of a man med Anwar. The Islamabad High Court had granted Lakhvi bail on December 18, drawing a sharp response from India. After that ruling, authorities detained him under a public order law. But on Monday, a judge suspended his detention. (IANS)