Hours after the lahore High Court suspended the detention of 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Zaki-ur Rehman lakhvi, under Maintenance of Public Order after the Pakistani Government failed to present sensitive records against him in the court, India on Thursday said this "eroded" the value of assurances repeatedly conveyed to it by Pakistan on cross-border terrorism.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said, “Our concerns on this issue have been made known to the Government of Pakistan in the past. These shall be reiterated. The fact is that known terrorists not being effectively prosecuted constitutes a real security threat for India and the world. This also erodes the value of assurances repeatedly conveyed to us with regard to cross-border terrorism."
India's reaction came after the lahore High Court suspended the detention of 55-year-old lakhvi under Maintenance of Public Order as the Government there failed to present sensitive records against him in the court.
The judge ordered lakhvi to submit two surety bonds worth Rs1 million each for his release. Earlier, the Home Ministry termed the release order as ‘extremely disappointing' and asked Islamabad to ensure terrorists like him do not come out of jail.
"This is an extremely disappointing development. Pakistan must ensure that terrorists like lakhvi do not come out of jail. Pakistan should immediately take all legal measures at appropriate forum to ensure that justice is delivered to the victims of Mumbai terror attack," said a senior Home Ministry official.
India has in the past too raised objections to the release orders passed by Pak courts from time to time. Pakistan, however, despite making desperate attempts to keep lakhvi in detention has failed to produce sufficient evidence to keep the case strong. lakhvi and six others — Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younis Anjum — have been charged with planning and executing the Mumbai attack in November, 2008 that left 166 people dead. lakhvi, believed to be a close relative of leT founder and Jamaat-Ud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, was arrested in December, 2008 and was indicted along with the six others on November 25, 2009 in connection with the 26/11 attack case. The trial has been underway since 2009.