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India-Pakistan

India condemns release of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi

2015-04-11

[DAWN] India condemned Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi ...an asset of the Pak govt and a big turban in Lashkar-e-Taiba, which is actually a redundant statement. Zak was the criminal mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai attack. Despite what India's provided there is not enough evidence in this world for a Pak court to convict him or even to keep him in the calaboose for very long... 's release deeming it an "insult" to the victims of the 26/11 Mumbai attack. “This is a very disappointing announcement. An insult to the victims of 26/11 Mumbai attack. The global community should take serious note of Pakistan's double-speak on terrorism,” said an Indian home ministry spokesperson who asked not to be named. Pakistan annuls India's criticism Pakistan, while reacting to Indian remarks over Lakhvi’s release, said it would not be proper to cast aspersions on Pakistan’s commitment to countering terrorism at a time when Pakistan has entered a critical stage of defeating the menace of terrorism. Answering the concerns of Indian ministry spokesman, Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasneem Alsam reminded India that the case of Mumbai attack suspects is subjudice. She said “inordinate delay in extending cooperation by India complicated the case and weakened the prosecution”. "We respect the judicial process and are confident that it would serve the interest of justice," she said. Lakhvi is among the seven persons charged with planning and helping carry out the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The six other men facing trial in Adiala Jail for their alleged involvement in Mumbai attacks are Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Younas Anjum, Jamil Ahmed, Mazhar Iqbal and Abdul Majid. At the time of the attacks, Lakhvi was believed to be the operational head of the banned Laskhar-i-Taiba (LT) that has been accused by India of carrying out the attacks in India's financial capital. Lakhvi along with Zarar Shah was allegedly the key planner of the attack that killed 166 people.

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India-Pakistan

Lahore High Court orders Lakhvi's release

2015-04-10

[DAWN] The Lahore High Court on Thursday dismissed the detention orders of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi ...an asset of the Pak govt and a big turban in Lashkar-e-Taiba, which is actually a redundant statement. Zak was the criminal mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai attack. Despite what India's provided there is not enough evidence in this world for a Pak court to convict him or even to keep him in the calaboose for very long... , one of the key accused in the 2008 Mumbai attacks case, and ordered his release. The court was hearing a petition of Lakhvi challenging his fourth one-month detention ordered by the Okara DCO on March 14. The Punjab 1.) Little Orphan Annie's bodyguard 2.) A province of Pakistain ruled by one of the Sharif brothers 3.) A province of India. It is majority (60 percent) Sikh and Hindoo (37 percent), which means it has relatively few Moslem riots.... government had previously maintained the stance that Lakhvi has been detained based on 'sensitive information' provided by intelligence agencies. Justice Anwarul Haq had directed the government's counsel to submit records of the information to the court, which was also presented in the Islamabad High Court in the past based on which the IHC had ordered Lakhvi's bail. The court upheld the stance that if this sensitive information was reliable, the IHC would not have accepted Lakhvi's bail. Therefore, the LHC ordered Lakhvi's release based on the lack of reliability of the sensitive information provided and directed the accused to play Rs20 lakhs in surety bonds to Adiala jail. Lakhvi is among the seven persons charged with planning and helping carry out the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The six other men facing trial in Adiala Jail for their alleged involvement in Mumbai attacks are Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Younas Anjum, Jamil Ahmed, Mazhar Iqbal and Abdul Majid. At the time of the attacks, Lakhvi was believed to be the operational head of the banned Laskhar-e-Taiba (LT) that has been accused by India of carrying out the attacks in India's financial capital. Lakhvi along with Zarar Shah was allegedly the key planner of the attack that killed 166 people.

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India-Pakistan

LHC rejects Lakhvi's petition challenging detention order

2015-03-21

[DAWN] The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday rejected Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi's petition challenging the detention order against him. Justice Mahmood Maqbool Bajwa said after the hearing that in light of recent circumstances, it is possible that releasing Lakhvi could cause turmoil in the country. Lakhvi had filed a petition with the Lahore High Court challenging the detention order passed against him by the Punjab 1.) Little Orphan Annie's bodyguard 2.) A province of Pakistain ruled by one of the Sharif brothers 3.) A province of India. It is majority (60 percent) Sikh and Hindoo (37 percent), which means it has relatively few Moslem riots.... home department. The petition filed earlier through Advocate Rizwan Abbasi prayed to the court to set aside the detention of Lakhvi for being illegal and a violation of Islamabad High Court (IHC) order. On Mar 13, 2015 the third time detention orders on Lakhvi were declared void by the IHC ─ a day after which the Punjab home department reordered his detention. Lakhvi is among the seven persons charged with planning and helping carry out the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The six other men facing trial in Adiala Jail for their alleged involvement in Mumbai attacks are Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Younas Anjum, Jamil Ahmed, Mazhar Iqbal and Abdul Majid. At the time of the attacks, Lakhvi was believed to be the operational head of the banned Laskhar-e-Taiba (LeT) that has been accused by India of carrying out the attacks in India's financial capital. Lakhvi, along with Zarar Shah, was allegedly the key planner of the attack that killed 166 people.

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India-Pakistan

FO says no request received for handing over Lakhvi

2015-01-22

[DAWN] The Pakistain Foreign Office denied reports that the UK and US had asked it to handover Mumbai attacks accused Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi to India or to them for his 'independent trial' to help improve ties between the two countries, Times of India reported. "No one has asked or sent any formal request to the (Pakistain) government to handover the person (Lakhvi) to India or any other country," Pakistain's foreign office spokeswoman Tasneem Aslam told TOI on Tuesday. The report says that the Federal Investigation Agency's prosecution chief Chaudhry Azhar had informed the Islamabad High Court on Monday that two countries, whose citizens were killed in the Mumbai attacks, had asked Pakistain to hand over Lakhvi. The prosecution chief did not name the countries when he appeared before the High court. However, the difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits... some media reports suggested Washington and London had written to Pakistain and sought Lakhvi's custody. At the time of the Mumbai attacks, Lakhvi was allegedly the operational head of the banned Laskhar-e-Taiba (LeT) which has been accused by India of carrying out the attacks. Lakhvi along with Zarar Shah was alleged to be a key planner of the attack that killed 166 people. Proceedings of the case against him began in 2009 at the ATC in Rawalpindi, and was transferred to the ATC in Islamabad the following year. In April last year however, proceedings came to a virtual standstill as special judge of the ATC expressed his inability to conduct the trial due to security reasons. This came following a terrorist attack on the district courts in Islamabad in the month of March.

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India-Pakistan

Mumbai attack 'mastermind' Lakhvi detained under MPO

2014-12-19

[DAWN] Alleged criminal mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi who was granted bail by an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad yesterday has been detained under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) at Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail. A senior government source told Dawn that the government has also decided to appeal against the approval of Lakhvi's bail in superior courts. The ATC had ordered the release of Lakhvi after his post-arrest bail plea was accepted and Judge Syed Kausar Abbas Zaidi had set Lakhvi's bail at Rs1 million. The decision drew a sharp reaction from India and surprised many with its unfortunate timing, coming just days after one of the deadliest terror attacks the country has ever seen. Lakhvi is among the seven persons charged with planning and helping carry out the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The six other men facing trial in Adiala Jail for their alleged involvement in Mumbai attacks are Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Younas Anjum, Jamil Ahmed, Mazhar Iqbal and Abdul Majid. At the time of the attacks, Lakhvi was believed to be the operational head of the banned Laskhar-e-Taiba (LT) that has been accused by India of carrying out the attacks in India's financial capital. Lakhvi along with Zarar Shah was allegedly the key planner of the attack that killed 166 people. The acceptance of his bail plea had come as Pakistain was mourning the deaths of school children and other victims of Tuesday's Taliban massacre and New Delhi had made a visible effort to show solidarity with Islamabad. The massacre and the reaction to it was followed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf... 's lifting of the moratorium imposed on capital punishment in the country.

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India-Pakistan

ATC approves bail of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi in Mumbai attacks case

2014-12-18

[DAWN] Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, one of the main accused in the Mumbai attacks case, was granted bail on Thursday by an anti-terrrorism court. The Federal Investigation Agency's prosecutor disagreed with the bail plea. However, there's more than one way to skin a cat... Advocate Rizwan Abbasi, the lawyer representing Lakhvi, stood before the court as the bail was approved. The court has directed Lakhvi to pay surety bonds worth Rs500,000 before he can be released on bail. Lakhvi is among the seven persons charged with planning and helping carry out the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The six other men facing trial in Adiala Jail for their alleged involvement in Mumbai attacks are Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Younas Anjum, Jamil Ahmed, Mazhar Iqbal and Abdul Majid. At the time of the attacks, Lakhvi was believed to be the operational head of the banned Laskhar-e-Taiba (LeT) that has been accused by India of carrying out the attacks in India's financial capital. Lakhvi along with Zarar Shah was allegedly the key planner of the attack that killed 166 people. The acceptance of his bail plea came as Pakistain is mourning the deaths of school children and other victims of Tuesday's Taliban massacre and New Delhi has made a visible effort to show solidarity with Islamabad. The proceedings of the case began in 2009 at the ATC in Rawalpindi and the case was transferred to the ATC in Islamabad the next year. In April this year however, proceedings came to a virtual standstill as special judge of the ATC expressed his inability to conduct the trial of the seven suspects due to security reasons. This came following a terrorist attack on the district courts in Islamabad in the month of March.

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India-Pakistan

Pakistan seeks India's help for Mumbai attacks trial

2010-09-05

[Dawn] Islamabad on Saturday urged India to help find a way to progress the trial in Pakistain of seven suspects linked to the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The suspects include the alleged criminal mastermind of the attack on India's financial capital, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative Zarar Shah. The trial has almost stalled as New Delhi has refused to give the court access to lone surviving attacker Mohammad Ajmal Kasab --who is on death row in India --and Indian national Fahim Ansari, a conspirator. An anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi indicted the seven men on the eve of the first anniversary of the attack, which ended a fragile peace processor session with Pakistain. But Pak officials have since implied that the trials cannot proceed unless Kasab, who was sentenced to death in Mumbai in May, is handed over as a witness. Kasab was convicted on March 31 on charges including murder and waging war on India. Pakistain interior minister Rehman Malik told reporters after meeting the Indian high commissioner and speaking to Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram on the telephone: "The trial is stuck and actually we do not want to give an impression to the international community that perhaps it has been delayed. "We proposed to India while talking to Mr Chidambaram that how about that we move our case to our trial court and request them to appoint a commission of relevant officials to record the statements of the witnesses," he said. "And this has been happening in the past and so using that facility we request to the court and if they give permission, will they (India) be able to accept," Malik said. Chidambaram replied that "they will be considering it", Malik said. Malik said he underlined the importance to the trial of Kasab and Ansari appearing in court in Pakistain.

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India-Pakistan

Mumbai attack case put off

2010-07-05

No lawyer was present in the Anti Terrorist Court (ATC) to attend proceedings of Mumbai attack case due to a strike call given by Punjab Bar Council to condemn Data Darbar attacks, upon which Judge Akram Awan postponed the hearing till July 10. Law enforcement agencies had arrested seven accused including an important commander of defunct Jihadi outfit Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Abdul Wajid allies Abul Qama and Mazhar Iqbal allies Zarar Shah, allegedly involved in the case. All the accused were charged with abetting Ajmal Kasab. In previous proceedings, the court instructed Ministry of Interior to write a letter to Indian authorities for handing over both Kasab and Ansari to Pakistan to proceed further the case, but the reply from India had not been received so far. The Federation has appointed Akhtar Awan as new public prosecutor of the case.

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India-Pakistan

Pakistan hands six dossiers to India over Mumbai attacks

2010-04-26

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday handed over to India six dossiers on its own investigation into the Mumbai attacks, with a request that India hand over Ajmal Kasab and an Indian national, Fahim Ansari so that their testimonies could be recorded in Pakistan. Top Foreign Office officials handed over the dossiers to the Indian deputy high commissioner, APP reported. It seems to me India handed over the dossier of their interrogation of Mr. Kasab ages ago, along with what their investigation had revealed, and asked that certain individuals be turned over to them for trial. This sounds like a long-delayed tit for tat. The government asked India to hand over the lone surviving gunman of the 2008 Mumbai attacks so that it could complete its own trial of seven suspects linked to the assault, officials said. Um, no ... "We have sought India's help that he (Ajmal Kasab) should be handed over to us so that the trial here can go forward," Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit told AFP. What's wrong with a teleconference? That would release less CO2 into the atmosphere. Islamabad is holding seven suspects linked to the November 26 to 29 attack on India's financial capital, including alleged mastermind of the operation, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, and Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LT) operative Zarar Shah. India and Washington have both blamed the Mumbai attack on the LT. An anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi indicted the seven men on the eve of the first anniversary of the attack. Since the indictment, officials have implied that the seven suspects' trial cannot proceed unless Kasab, who was convicted in Mumbai last month after a year-long trial, is handed over as a witness. If that ever happened, which it won't, the Pak courts would find something in his testimony to cause all defendants to be found innocent as the driven snow, at which time they'd be released, given some rehab, and be sent to Kashmir, to be shot in the back by their own people when they infiltrate the border, just to make sure they never blab. When asked how India could extradite Kasab and Ansari to Pakistan, Basit replied, "It is not extradition per se. It is a legal requirement since the court has asked that Kasab be produced before it." Interior Minister Rehman Malik has also said that Kasab is required to appear in Rawalpindi. "Kasab's statement is of paramount importance in the Mumbai attack case, which is an important document and our courts need it," APP quoted him as telling reporters late on Saturday. Malik said India would also be requested to send to Rawalpindi the officials who recorded Kasab's statement in Mumbai. Need to 'deal' with the witnesses too ...

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India-Pakistan

Mumbai attacks trial closes, verdict due May 3

2010-04-01

[Dawn] The trial of a Pakistani accused of being in a 10-man team of gunmen who killed 166 people during a rampage through Mumbai in 2008 closed on Wednesday after a year of dramatic courtroom testimony. The judge will deliver a verdict on May 3 on 22-year-old Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, considered the lone surviving gunman from the 2008 attacks which traumatised India and led to a spike in tension with Pakistan. The prosecution has called for him to be put to death and has presented evidence it considers overwhelmingly proves his guilt, including a photo of him carrying an AK-47 machine gun through the main train terminal in Mumbai. Kasab stands accused on scores of charges, including waging war against India and murder over the three days of carnage which targeted luxury hotels, a tourist restaurant, the railway station and a Jewish centre. "The trial has ended and the prosecution has presented the links between Kasab, LeT (militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba) and the Pakistani army," state prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told reporters outside court. During his final arguments, state prosecutor Nikam had called Kasab a "conniving, depraved murderer" who was trained by the Pakistan-based Islamist group Lashkar-e-Taiba. Kasab initially pleaded not guilty when the trial started in April, but in July made a shock confession, admitting being one of two gunmen who opened fire at the train station. He also detailed how the group was trained by the banned LeT, and he then asked for swift justice. "Please go ahead and hang me," he said at the time - however in December he retracted his confession, saying he had been framed by the police after coming to Mumbai to seek a career in the Bollywood film industry. Kasab and an accomplice who died are alleged to have committed the bloodiest episode in the 60-hour reign of terror, opening fire with AK-47 assault rifles and throwing grenades in the station. Some 52 people died and 109 others were wounded there. The trial began last April and has heard live evidence from nearly 300 people. The psychological impact of the 2008 Mumbai attacks on Indians is often compared by local commentators and media to the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States. Millions watched in horror over three days as ill-equipped security forces struggled to stem the killing in a city that is the country's financial capital and showbiz centre. Seven alleged Pakistani planners of the November 2008 attacks are on trial in their home country, where the case has been regularly delayed and adjourned. Among the suspects is the alleged mastermind of the operation, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, and alleged LeT operative Zarar Shah. Recent events in the United States have also shed light on the planning of the assault after the arrest of a man born of US and Pakistani parents who has pleaded guilty to assisting the Mumbai attackers. Last week, David Headley pleaded guilty to 12 charges of conspiring in the attacks after making numerous visits to Mumbai where he photographed and drew up detailed plans of the eventual targets. The United States has said it had not yet decided whether to give India direct access to Headley despite repeated requests from New Delhi.

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India-Pakistan

Lakhvi's counsel fears attempt on life

2010-01-14

The Lahore High Court chief justice has issued notices to the federal interior secretary, the attorney general, Pakistan, and the Punjab advocate general for Jan 21 on a petition seeking transfer of case of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, accused of Mumbai terrorist attacks, from Rawalpindi Anti-Terrorism Court to Lahore. Khwaja Sultan, counsel of Lakhvi, submitted that as he had to travel a long way to reach the ATC in Rawalpindi, he could be targeted by Indian agencies' personnel, who, he said, were present in and around the capital city, for pursuing the case. He said Lahore was a safer place compared to Islamabad. Rawalpindi ATC is holding in-camera proceeding of the case inside Adiala Jail. Special Investigation Cell (SIC) had registered a case against eight suspects -- Hamad Ameen Sadiq, Zarar Shah, Hamza alias Abu Alqa, Mr Khan, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Javed Iqbal, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and Muhammad Ashfaq -- for their alleged involvement in the Mumbai attacks. The SIC had arrested them on Feb 12, 2009.

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India-Pakistan

Pakistan again adjourns Mumbai attack hearing

2009-10-04

[Dawn] A Pakistani court on Saturday adjourned for a second time a hearing for seven suspects accused by India of plotting the deadly Mumbai attacks last year, a lawyer said. New Delhi has been pressuring Islamabad to speed up the probe of Pakistani militants believed to be behind the Mumbai attacks which killed 166 people. India and Washington blamed the November attacks on Pakistan's banned militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the siege stalled a fragile four-year peace process between the two countries. 'The hearing has been adjourned until the 10th of October,' said Shahbaz Rajput, a defence lawyer representing two of the suspects. Because the proceedings at an anti-terrorism court are going on behind closed doors, Rajput said he could not disclose the reason for the second postponement, or give any details of the case. The seven accused were present at Saturday's proceedings, he added. The hearing had originally been scheduled to begin on July 25, but was postponed then as the judge was on leave. The anti-terrorism court has been set up in the high-security Adiala jail in Rawalpindi, a garrison city adjoining the capital, Islamabad. Interior Minister Rehman Malik in July said that the seven men would soon be charged over the 60-hour rampage but called on India to provide more information to bring the perpetrators to justice. Those in custody include the alleged mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and alleged key LeT operative Zarar Shah. India has put on trial Pakistan's Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, the sole surviving gunman of the Mumbai attacks and who has made a dramatic confession. India insists it will resume talks to normalise ties only after Pakistan brings to justice the alleged perpetrators and has blamed Pakistani 'official agencies' for abetting the assault - a claim Islamabad flatly denies. On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York late last month, foreign ministers from both nations met to discuss the impasse. India's SM Krishna said investigations into the Mumbai plot must 'gather further momentum.' His counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi assured Krishna that the seven men would be tried, but urged dialogue on all bilateral issues.

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