“The order came just a day after Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said there would be no differentiation between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ Taliban.” Which side is Pakistan on? That’s obvious. And they’ve got the jizya train rolling in from Washington to bankroll them. “Pakistan court grants bail to Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, man behind 26/11,” Express News Service, December 19, 2014 (thanks to Mirren10):
In a decision that sparked outrage in India, a Pakistani anti-terrorism court on Thursday granted bail to LeT operations commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, accused of masterminding the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. The order came just a day after Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said there would be no differentiation between “good” and “bad” Taliban.
Lakhvi, 54, and six others accused in the case had filed bail applications on Wednesday, in the midst of a lawyers’ strike to condemn the Peshawar school attack. The in-camera proceedings were held by Justice Kausar Abbasi Zaidi at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi due to security concerns.
“As the trial was near conclusion, the anti-terrorism court in Islamabad today granted bail to Lakhvi, despite evidence against him,” said prosecution chief Chaudhry Azhar. “We were not expecting this decision,” he said, expressing surprise as 15 more witnesses are yet to testify.
The Pakistan government is set to challenge the bail order in the Lahore High Court. “After going through the court order, we will decide to challenge it,” said Azhar.
A Pakistan Interior Ministry spokesman said the government would certainly file an appeal against the trial court’s decision. “We have a strong case against the seven accused and we will challenge Lakhvi’s bail in the high court,” said the official, who requested anonymity.
“We have so far produced 46 witnesses in the court who testified against all seven accused — Lakhvi, Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younis Anjum. Only 15 more witnesses have to testify against them. And the trial is likely to be concluded in three to four weeks,” said Azhar.
The court granted bail as “evidence against Lakhvi was deficient,” said his counsel, Raja Rizwan Abbasi. The court has asked Lakhvi to submit surety bonds worth Rs 500,000 before he can be released.
In Delhi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh blamed “shortcomings on the part of the prosecution”. Terming the bail order as “unfortunate”, he said India had handed over “adequate evidence to Pakistan regarding Lakhvi”.
“Just after so many children were mercilessly killed in Peshawar, bail is being granted to the mastermind of 26/11 Mumbai attacks… it is quite unfortunate… Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif said they would continue operations against terrorists, so I expect the Pakistan government to appeal in a higher court against the bail granted to Lakhvi,” said Singh….