An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad summoned Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal and Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua for a hearing of the ongoing case of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, DawnNews reported on Wednesday.

Both Janjua and Dr Faisal appeared before the court on Wednesday. Janjua told the court that high-level meetings between authorities will be held soon, where developments regarding the Indian witnesses — which are 27 in number — are expected to be discussed.

A witness from Thatta, Abdul Samad, also appeared to record his statement today, linking one of the suspects, Shahid Jamil Riaz, to Ali Nawaz Shah village in Thatta.

The ATC also issued non-bailable warrants for a witness Nazr-u-Sharif — who currently resides in the United States — for failing to appear in court.

The court questioned the Federal Investigation Agency for information about two witnesses who have passed away.

The hearing of the case was adjourned until December 6.

Last year in January, Islamabad had asked the Indian government to send the 24 witnesses to Pakistan to testify against the seven suspects — Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, the alleged mastermind of the attacks, Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younus Anjum — that are being tried by the ATC in Islamabad.

Explore: Mumbai's long shadow: What led to Hafiz Saeed's arrest

In September last year, India finally agreed to share material evidence regarding the Mumbai attacks.

The case is being tried in the ATC since 2009.

At the time of the attacks, Lakhvi was believed to be the operational head of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) that has been accused by India of carrying out the attacks in India's financial capital.

Lakhvi along with Zarar Shah was allegedly the key planner of the attack that killed 166 people.

Though a prime suspect in the case, the Lahore High Court had released Lakhvi in 2015 after he furnished Rs2 million in surety bonds. The Indian government lodged a strong protest over his release; however, the Pakistani authorities demanded that India provide incriminating evidence against him so he can be held in jail and tried effectively.

Opinion

Editorial

Unsustainable growth
Updated 23 Jun, 2026

Unsustainable growth

CLICHÉS are an essential part of political rhetoric. But when repeated often, they lose their impact. So when...
Banned speeches
23 Jun, 2026

Banned speeches

NATIONAL Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Sunday formally lifted long-standing restrictions on the airing of ...
New GB government
23 Jun, 2026

New GB government

WITH the newly elected lawmakers of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly taking oath on Monday, the PPP looks set to head...
A costly cut
Updated 22 Jun, 2026

A costly cut

Climate risks are increasing and public investment should reflect that reality.
Guarded access
22 Jun, 2026

Guarded access

ONE of the government’s ‘novel’ proposals to snag tax evaders has collided with some harsh realities. On...
Lyari’s passion
22 Jun, 2026

Lyari’s passion

THE love for football in Lyari knows no bounds. The World Cup might be underway thousands of miles away in North...