'Will challenge Pak court rejection for examining 26/11 boat'

The prosecution in the 2008 Mumbai attack case will challenge in the lahore High Court the rejection of its plea by a Pakistani anti-terrorism court to form a commission to examine the boat used by leT terrorists to reach the Indian coast.

"We are going to challenge the trial court's decision to reject our plea regarding formation of a commission to examine the boat - 'Al-Fauz' - used by alleged terrorists of Mumbai attacks in the lahore High Court," a prosecution lawyer said.

He said the prosecution was preparing a petition in this regard and would soon challenge the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Islamabad's verdict in the superior court.

The prosecution believes the boat is a "case property" and it needs a government commission to examine and endorsement in this respect, he said.

During a hearing on January 13, the ATC dismissed the plea of the prosecution to form the commission.

No hearing was held yesterday as the judge was busy in the hearing of another case. The court adjourned the hearing till January 27.

According to the Federal Investigation Agency, the alleged terrorists of Mumbai attacks used three boats, including 'Al Fauz' to reach Mumbai from Karachi.

It said security agencies have also traced the shop and its owner from where the culprits bought the engine and the boat while a bank and a money exchange company were also traced which were used for the transaction of money.

The 10 leT militants had left Karachi on the boat on November 23, 2008. En route, they hijacked another boat, killing four of its crew. They allegedly forced the vessel's captain to take them close to the India shores. The captain was killed when the vessel reached Mumbai's coast.

On November 26 that year, the gunmen left their vessel, moored off the coast of Mumbai in inflatable boats and docked in an area of fishing shanties. They broke up into smaller groups to carry out the attack that killed 166 people.

Pakistani authorities arrested seven alleged members of the leT involved in the attack including leT operations commander Zakiur Rehman lakhvi who is said to be the mastermind of the Mumbai attack.

A trial is underway against them at the ATC since 2009.

lakhvi secured bail in December, 2014 and was subsequently released from Adiala Jail on April 10 after the lahore High Court set aside the government's order to detain him under a public security act.