Lahore : The wheels of justice grind as slowly in Pakistan as in India: After much hee-haw by the Pakistan establishment, almost 8 years after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, an anti-terrorism court in Lahore has decided to charge LeT operations commander Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi and six others for abetment to murder.
Significantly, Lakhvi and the six accomplices will be individually charged for abetment to murder in the case of each of the 166 victims of the 26/11 carnage.
“The seven suspects will be charged individually for the abetment to murder of each victim of Mumbai attack case,” a senior court official said, quoting the verdict of the trial court.
Court slaps on him abetment of murder charge in 166 cases of 26/11 carnage
The authorities in India did not immediately react to the move but sources said the laborious process of charging Lakhvi separately in each case would be painstakingly laborious and slow.
The Mumbai attack case has dragged on in Lahore for the last six years: for instance, no proceedings have taken place in the previous seven hearings. India has been saying the frequent adjournments by the Pakistani court have ensured the case against Lakhvi does not progress.
The Pakistani authorities, however, have blamed India for the delay in the case, saying it cannot move further till the Indian government sends to Pakistan all the 26/11 witnesses for recording statements in the case. It is contended by prosecution lawyers that the trial court has already completed recording the statements of all Pakistani witnesses in the case. “Now the ball is in India’s court.’’ The foreign ministry of Pakistan had also written to the Indian government about three months ago asking it to send all the 24 Indian witnesses to Pakistan.
166 people, including six Americans, were killed and more than 300 injured in the attack in November 2008 by 10 Pakistani terrorists.
Lakhvi is living in an undisclosed location since his release from jail on bail in the 26/11 case a year ago. But his six Mumbai carnage accomplices have not been that lucky and are still in Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi. Last year, when Lakhvi was freed from jail, the move had invited a sharp rebuke from India which had said it proved Pakistan is soft on terrorists who target India.
