Govt challenges suspension of Lakhvi's detention in SC
The government made a plea that the IHC's order has weak legal grounds.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News)— The government of Pakistan on Thursday has challenged the Islamabad High Court (IHC)’s decision to suspend the detention of Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi. According to the Federal government, the court doesn’t have the authority to release Lakhvi.
Interior Ministry of Pakistan has challenged the Islamabad High Court’s order to suspend the Mumbai attack accused’s detention in the Supreme Court.
The government has made a plea that the release of Lakhvi could cause law and order situation in the country. The government argued that the IHC’s order to suspend Lakhvi’s detention under Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) has weak legal grounds.
On December 18, Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Kausar Abbas Zaidi granted bail to Lakhvi citing lack of evidence against him in the Mumbai attacks case, but before he could be released from jail, the government detained him for three more months under Public Maintenance Order in Adiala Jail where the trial is being held.
The ATC judge had cited “weak evidence, the registration of the FIR invoking irrelevant sections and hearsay evidence against the suspect” as the reasons for granting bail to Lakhvi.
ATC Judge Zaidi in his written order said the evidence against 54-year-old accused was based on the statements of officials of the Crime Investigation Department (CID) which apparently were ‘insufficient’ to refuse him bail.
Lakhvi and other six accused including Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz have been charged with planning the Mumbai attack.
Lakhvi was arrested in December 2008 and was indicted along with the six others on November 25, 2009 in connection with the case. The trial has been underway since 2009.
