Lakhvi will not provide voice samples to India, says lawyer

E-Paper | March 18, 2026

Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, the alleged mastermind of the Mumbai attacks in 2008, has refused to provide voice samples to India in relation to an investigation to indict him for involvement in the terror attacks on Indian soil, Hindustan Times reported on Sunday.

Lakhvi's lawyer – Rizwan Abbasi – told the Indian media outlet that according to Pakistan's laws, the accused's consent was necessary for a voice sample. “My client has refused in the past and will refuse again,” said Abbasi.

The development comes only a couple of days after Pakistan's and India's premiers released a joint statement from Russia, vowing to expedite proceedings of the Mumbai attack case among other sticking points.

Lakhvi was released from Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail in April this year, after a court ordered dismissal of detention orders issued against him by the Okara DCO on March 14.

The Punjab government had previously maintained that Lakhvi was detained based on 'sensitive information' provided by intelligence agencies.

Read: Lakhvi, a free man for now.

India condemned Lakhvi'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.

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.

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joe

Jul 12, 2015 06:53pm

There you are. Refusing voice sample. Any deductions drawn.?

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Daood

Jul 12, 2015 07:01pm

So they need his voice sample to create evidence ??? If they had any prove they would have shared it with us.

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Ali

Jul 12, 2015 07:04pm

If you are innocent then whats problem in providing voice sample?

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whats in a name

Jul 12, 2015 07:06pm

Only this much can be expected and anything better than this is a bonus. So its pretty clear how much importance the bilateral talks have.

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Trv

Jul 12, 2015 07:12pm

Why cant you give your voice Let it prove that you are innocent

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Taimur Ahmad

Jul 12, 2015 07:14pm

Good decision, India without sharing any evidence thinks we dance on their tunes is not acceptable, attack was in India and for very reason they are blaming one organization without evidence I just rubbish, we need shut down their embassy in Pakistan who seems to be involved illicit activities...

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AsjadAhmad

Jul 12, 2015 07:15pm

@Daood India has provided with voice samples of radio conversations. To confirm that one of the voices is of Lakhvi, they need his voice sample.

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Erik

Jul 12, 2015 07:16pm

India should provide the voice sample that they have. Why should the accused provide it?

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a citizen

Jul 12, 2015 07:22pm

@Ali : Irrespective whether he is innocent or not - do you belieave Indian intellegnece agencies are very innocent? Why don't they provide their proof to Pakistan and to the United Nations and ask them for investigation? Why don't they want to talk on Samjota Express tragediy? Why don't they want to talk on Kashmir? What about Siachen and Sir Creak, ... and the list goes on?

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khan

Jul 12, 2015 07:24pm

we Pakistani not going to dance on our tunes.SORRY lakhvi is innocent as proves in the court of law stop interfering in Pakistan like supporting terrorist in Karachi,Baluchistan and tribal area or you will also meet the same consequences

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Blue Saffron

Jul 12, 2015 07:27pm

International protocol does not require providing any voice samples. If India does not desist from sponsoring terrorism in the region then the worst is yet to come for it. India was broken up in 1947 and three more times subsequently. The next time will be the end of India as we know it.

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sandeep

Jul 12, 2015 07:28pm

what else can be expected

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Changez_Khan

Jul 12, 2015 07:31pm

Excellent decision.

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Salim

Jul 12, 2015 07:33pm

@Daood Create evidence??? Those taped conversations have already been provided to Pakistan

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Sunil

Jul 12, 2015 07:40pm

@Taimur Ahmad India does not have embassy, it has High Commission.

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anil

Jul 12, 2015 07:42pm

@Taimur Ahmad Terrorist is terrorist.No difference between Mumbai and Peshawar inhuman crime

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Satt

Jul 12, 2015 07:46pm

@Erik We want Lakhivi's voice samples to match with the voice samples we have.

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Karahore

Jul 12, 2015 07:51pm

Why should good people like Lakhvi be mistreated because India wants to prosecute them. We should help our Muslim brothers not hand them over to enemies.

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eddied

Jul 12, 2015 07:57pm

if he was innocent...then the voice sample would prove him innocent. I wonder why he does not want to give a sample?

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Blue Saffron

Jul 12, 2015 07:57pm

No need to oblige India. You reap what you sow.

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Blue Saffron

Jul 12, 2015 07:59pm

Provide voice sample for what? He is not auditioning for Bolly/Mollywood.

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MrA2Z

Jul 12, 2015 08:05pm

Why should someone provide voice sample to another country to prove his innocence? Burden of proof lies on India not the one who is being accused.

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Qavar

Jul 12, 2015 08:08pm

Good decision. They will tamper the voice and will somehow make it match and start whining again like always.

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Harmony-1

Jul 12, 2015 08:21pm

@Joe - What do you expect a defendant to do...offer himself to be hanged? He will naturally do whatever it takes to save himself. What India agreed was to provide evidence of what it has.

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Private eye

Jul 12, 2015 08:24pm

the accused is not to provide the evidence of guilt, it is the prosecution to prove the guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Criminals enjoy the right not to answer any questions in UK courts. India should have no such trouble with Samjhota express accused Indian army personnel, try them to prove your sincerity, Maharaj Nerendra Modi. No one has any soft corner for these extremist cults in Pakistan but that does not mean to accept the Indian version without testing in Pakistani Court, which has a double faced hatred filled leadership playing double game in Balochistan and Afghanistan with past criminal interference in East Pakistan. We have not forgotten your designs.

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kailash

Jul 12, 2015 08:28pm

@Qavar Very good decision at least now we have clarity i.e. there is no talk with Pakistan on any issue.

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fawad

Jul 12, 2015 08:38pm

India has given audio CD of conversation between Mumbai attackers and their handlers. Audio sample from Lakhvi is required to analyse if in earlier recorded conversation, Lakhvi was present or not. Simple requirement, to either confirm or exonerate his involvement. If he gives it, case will be closed quickly, why drag it.

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Naseer

Jul 12, 2015 09:01pm

@Blue Saffron ? India broken 3 times? Enlighten me please!

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lafanga

Jul 12, 2015 09:02pm

Shouldn't the burden be on India to provide evidence to the court and be done with it if the evidence is solid as they say? Now India wants his voice samples which they know he has refused and will refuse again so it will be another deadlock. I think India just want political mileage out of this and nothing else.

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Sahil

Jul 12, 2015 09:14pm

Therefore talks are useless.

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Aslam

Jul 12, 2015 09:16pm

It proves his involvement in crime. If he is clean and clear, then why he is hesitating in giving his voice sample?

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sana

Jul 12, 2015 09:31pm

You were asked to proved the voice samples not us....

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Zombie

Jul 12, 2015 09:35pm

Saddened by Pakistani comments above.

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Anup

Jul 12, 2015 09:43pm

It's up to Pakistani investigation team to acquire those samples and provide. Lakhvi's lawyer is always going to refuse it, that's his job. Those who support this move need to understand these samples are going to internal investigation of India and very necessary to improve relations.

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Zia

Jul 12, 2015 09:44pm

He should give voice samples if he think he is innocent..but before that relief should be given to the victims of "Samjhota Express"

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Last Word

Jul 12, 2015 09:47pm

India will wait for the Pak court decision and its govt stand on this major issue since Pakistan has given its commitment to give voice sample otherwise it will result in a great embarrassment for Pakistan and victory for India.

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Kris

Jul 12, 2015 09:58pm

What's the point of meeting and talking if there is no follow-through?

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Arun

Jul 12, 2015 10:14pm

Pakistan's policy of selective view on terrorism will cause more harm.

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Zee

Jul 12, 2015 10:33pm

First Indian accused Hafiz Saeed and now lakhwi implicating and implying them in the attack in Mumbai. If they have any DNA proves regarding voice and other evidences, they should submit it to Pakistan or international court of justice. It has been years and India could not produced any submissable evidence. Indian RAW previously accused the hijacking of Indian aircraft "Ganga affair" pre 1971 war and they took that pretext to invade Pakistan, later it was found that the hijackers were Indian RAW trained hijackers. India trained Mukti Bahini in our East Pakistan, India first has to answer all these involvement in the affairs of a sovereign country Pakistan. Don't throw the dirt on others when you are dirty yourself. Pakistan will never surrender to the jingoism of India.

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Third Party

Jul 13, 2015 12:17am

This kind of acts only putting Pakistan in trouble !

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Euro

Jul 13, 2015 12:37am

Indians must understand that long as India keep protecting Indian Army men who bombed Samjutha Express, Pakistan will show no understanding. International relations are give and take, not take and take. Personally, I couldn't care less about this Lakhvi figure and neither do I know who he is.

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Akram

Jul 13, 2015 12:57am

@Ali when is modi going to voluntarily help those investigating the gujerat massacres? Sounds like indians calling the pot black to me.

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Cyrus

Jul 13, 2015 01:07am

@Private eye .... You have summed this up correctly.

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Freeman

Jul 13, 2015 01:10am

This looks ridiculous. As a Pakistani I feel it is Lakhvi's responsibility to get himself cleared if he is innocent. Otherwise the state is bound to get him convicted. Killer is a killer, no matter where the crime took place. There is enmity between 2 countries but it doesn't allow any of them to allow non state element to attack and kill ordinary people on the other side.

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raj

Jul 13, 2015 02:15am

Why is he afraid to share??? If he is innocent

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Pakistani

Jul 13, 2015 03:33am

@joe yes; One doesn't need to provide evidence to prove one's innocence. The accuser needs to provide evidence to prove guilt. One IS innocent until proven guilty. The onus is on the accuser to provide evidence, not on the accused to prove his/her innocence.

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syed wasim haider

Jul 13, 2015 03:35am

Can voice sample be manipulated? Needs comment from any communication expert.

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Pakistani

Jul 13, 2015 03:36am

@Ali Because the onus is on the accuser to prove the crime, not on the innocent to prove his innocence. You can't require someone to give his voice sample to prove they are innocent. They ARE innocent until it can be proved that they aren't.

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Pakistani

Jul 13, 2015 03:46am

@eddied Because an innocent person should not have to prove his innocence. The accuser is the one who has to provide evidence or else it is a false accusation - which it pretty much is at this point. What you are saying is that anybody can accuse anyone of any crime and now the onus is on the accused to go out and defend themselves and disprove the accusation. Sorry, that is not justice or even common sense. If you accuse someone, better have solid evidence or else it is just a false accusation. Infact, the one making false accusations and isn't able to provide any evidence is the one who should be punished.

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Jul 13, 2015 03:46am

Evidence of voice sample has been provided and thus needs a voice sample of his voice. If he is not guilty than he should provide.

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Sonny Afridi

Jul 13, 2015 03:48am

Since 2008 india claimed it already had the voice samples. Their defense is unraveling by the minute.

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lafanga

Jul 13, 2015 04:12am

@Aslam Going by your logic .... if police comes to you and says we want to strip and cavity search you because we believe you are guilty of a crime. Your reply when you know you are innocent would be ... Yes go ahead do what ever you want OR bring some evidence against me before I let you do anything. You are innocent until proven guilty not the other way round. Remember that.

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Satyameva Jayate

Jul 13, 2015 04:28am

No surprise there :)

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Kashmiri

Jul 13, 2015 04:54am

It can be deduced very clearly why he does not want to provide voice samples. If Pakistan really mourns Peshawar victims it should give his voice samples. Else there will never be trust or peace between both countries.

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ashfaq11

Jul 13, 2015 05:34am

@Erik Some of the commentators here have no clue of the judicial process. The voice evidence provided by India needs to be matched with the voice sample to be provided by the accused. The law doesn't permit for the authorities to extract a voice sample without the consent of the accused. So in summary there needs to be two samples, one being the evidence from the day of the crime and the other being the sample recorded so both can be matched using forensic technology

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Raj

Jul 13, 2015 06:00am

With new computer system, anyone can change sound tracks of their choice. Anyone can manufacture sound tracks if they have a sample available.

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Premsan

Jul 13, 2015 06:08am

Pakistani commentors here seems to justify this as tit for tat action against samjotha train.Please note all those involved, including colonel, are languishing in Maharashtra jail for many years and facing trial. They were never let free once on any flimsy ground like the way lakhvi and hafeez sayed do in Pak. Lakhvi refusing voice samples is clear sign of indictment in the incident.

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tariq

Jul 13, 2015 06:18am

@Satt why you want to match. give us his voice recording and we will match.

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Sadhu

Jul 13, 2015 09:06am

“My client has refused in the past and will refuse again, said Abbasi" This is only a comments expressed by the lawyer. We should wait for the official response from the Government before reaching any conclusion.

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fred

Jul 13, 2015 10:47am

Just give the sample.

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Zak

Jul 13, 2015 11:04am

@Ali because an enemy will manipulate, distort do anything to twist the truth even if he is not guilty.

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Zak

Jul 13, 2015 11:09am

@AsjadAhmad in that case, give what you Indians have to Pakistan, let Pakistan investigate. But India won't do that, because then it can't doctor the information to suit its outcome.

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Tamil

Jul 13, 2015 11:12am

If our government was as persistent in resolving Kashmir issue with Pakistan, these incidents would not happen and there would be no issues.

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Zak

Jul 13, 2015 11:30am

@Private eye well said. Indians should not live in denial, but accept reality. They should know, until kashmir UN plebiscite does not happen, this is the state of affairs forever.

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