Decide Lakhvi detention in 5 days, court says

Pakistan, March 26: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday ordered the Punjab government to take a decision within five days regarding the detention of Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi. Lakhvi had submitted an application in the LHC on Wednesday with two pleas — one challenging his detention and the other alleging that the federal and provincial governments committed contempt of court, Dawn online reported.

He had adopted the stance that his detention was illegal and in contempt of Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) ruling. The application also said that the Punjab home secretary should be bound to end his detention. The IHC had set aside the third-time detention of Lakhvi and ordered the authorities to release him immediately.

However, before his release on March 14, a fresh detention order was issued against him.

Justice Mahmood Maqbool Bajwa presided over Thursday’s hearing and dismissed Lakhvi’s plea regarding contempt of court by the federal and provincial governments. The court also ordered the Punjab home secretary to take a decision in relation to Lakhvi’s detention in five days’ time. (ians)