South Asia

Fresh detention orders to put Lakhvi in jail for another one month

| | 14 Mar 2015, 07:24 am

Islamabad, Mar 14: Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, acquitted by a court on Friday, will remain in jail for at least a month following a fresh detention order from the Home ministry of Punjab province in Pakistan.

Media reports quoted Lakhvi\'s lawyer as saying that the fresh detention order has been slapped on him due to pressure from Indian government. "We will challenge this order in the High Court," the lawyer said.

On Friday, the Islamabad High Court had ordered Lakhvi\'s release, ruling that his detention was illegal.

The order evoked strong reaction from India which summoned Pakistani envoy Abdul Basit to convey its displeasure.

India said it was "extremely upset" over the verdict and it was Pakistan\'s responsibility to take all legal measures to ensure that Lakhvi doesn\'t come out of jail.

Lakhvi, a top commander of the banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, has been in jail since 2009 over the attacks in Mumbai a year before, in which 166 people were killed.

India has been seeking Lakhvi since the November 2008 attacks in Mumbai.

"If such a person, who is also a designated international terrorist by the United Nations, is released it will pose a threat that cannot be ignored," Syed Akbaruddin, Spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs said.

Indian investigators have submitted voice samples and other evidence in support of its claim that Lakhvi spoke on satellite phones to the 10 terrorists who sailed into Mumbai and attacked several places.