Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, the mastermind behind terror attack on Mumbai in 2008, has been granted bail by Islamabad High Court today and his detention notification has been suspended. This notification was issued by the government of Pakistan after he was released on 18 December on grounds of insufficient evidence in the trial that he was facing on charges of hatching a conspiracy for the terror attacks on Mumbai. Lakhvi had challenged his detention orders in Pakistan High Court.
This news has caused a huge uproar in Indian political circles
There has been uproar in India soon after the news of suspension of detention order reached New Delhi. India is upset and outraged by this development in Pakistan. There are reasons to believe that Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, who threatened the witnesses in 26/11 trial even while being in jail, would now try to silence these witnesses and also try to destroy all evidences against him. His release from detention under Maintenance of Public Order in Pakistan makes a mockery of the pledge recently undertaken by Nawaz Sharif government to uproot all kinds of terrorism from Pakistani soil. On the one hand, Pakistan launches offensive against Pakistani Taliban in the wake of recent ghastly Peshawar massacre, and on the other hand, it allows Hafiz Saeed and Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, the masterminds behind planning and execution of Mumbai terror attacks, to roam scot free in Pakistan.
Pakistan government had placed Zaki under house arrest under MPO
It must be recalled that Zaki was placed under house arrest under Maintenance of Public Order by Pakistan government after his release on 18 December from Anti Terrorism Court in Islamabad. It was due to high level of diplomatic pressure that was put on Sharif government by Indian government. Lok Sabha had even passed a resolution, condemning the release of Zaki, who is the alleged mastermind behind Mumbai terror attacks. The timing of his release had surprised many in New Delhi, especially in the wake of cowardly killing of 148 school children in Peshawar by Pakistani Taliban just two days ago.
Judge agreed with the point of view of Zaki’s lawyer
Talking to media after securing the cancellation of detention notification of government of Pakistan, Raza Rizwan, Zaki’s lawyer said, “The honorable judge of the Islamabad High Court, while accepting my client’s appeal, issued orders against the detention the Government of Pakistan was applying on my client.’’ He added that Justice Noor-ul-Haq agreed with his point of view that no detention of his client was justified after he was granted bail in the Mumbai attack case.
Thus, the detention notification issued by government of Pakistan in the case of Zakiur Rehman stands cancelled and he is a free man today.
About Sanjay Tandon
Sanjay Tandon is a graduate engineer from IIT Varanasi. He has been writing as a freelancer for many years. He loves to write on various niches. He is passionate about politics and economy and spends his free time watching news channels. He is also an expert on relationships.