ISLAMABAD: Indian Deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan J P Singh was summoned at foreign office in Islamabad on Friday and a strong protest was lodged with him over India's deliberate delay in the trial of Samjhota Express terror attack and Indian government’s hue and cry over Lakhvi's trial in Pakistan.
The Indian diplomat was told by officials at Pakistan's foreign ministry that New Delhi’s hue and cry over Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi's release orders by the court is not justified.
A senior official on the condition of anonymity told Dawn.com that Pakistan told the senior Indian diplomat that despite Islamabad High Court's orders Pakistan detained Lakhvi under MPO therefore Pakistan’s integrity and commitment to try the accused of Mumbai attack should not be doubted.
Pakistani officials held Indian government responsible for the delay in trial of accused of Mumbai attack being taken in Pakistan and India simultaneously.
"Despite Pakistan’s repeated requests credible evidence about Mumbai attacks was never shared with Pakistan," the foreign ministry official said.
The official observed that Pakistani officials and prosecutors were not granted access for cross questioning of Mumbai attack’s key accused in India “and this is hampering the proceeding of the trial”.
Earlier, the detention orders of the alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, were declared void by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday.
IHC's Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi accepted Lakhvi's appeal filed against his third time detention orders and ordered the immediate release of the alleged Mumbai attack mastermind.
The IHC had earlier reserved its decision over the application.
Lakhvi has been granted bail in both cases against him, including the 2008 Mumbai attack case and the six-year-old case pertaining to the kidnapping of an Afghan national.
India reacts to Lakhvi's release orders
Indian External Affairs Ministry's (EAM) has summoned Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit and sought from him an explanation over Lakhvi’s release.
Commenting on the IHC order to release Lakhvi, India's Home Ministry said in a statement that, "It is the responsibility of the Pakistan government to take all legal measures to ensure that Lakhvi does not come out of jail."
Junior Home Minister Kiren Rijiju was quoted on The Hindu website as saying, "The overwhelming evidence against Lakhvi has not been presented properly before court by Pakistani agencies."
He added "there are no good terrorists or bad terrorists."
