Alleged mastermind of Mumbai attacks. PHOTO: AFP
Justice Noorul Haq N Qureshi announced the decision, while suspending the detention orders issued by Islamabad administration last year.
Read: No-show: Lakhvi to now be indicted on March 7
Last week the bench reserved the case after Lahkvi's counsel Rizwan Abbasi had challenged the detention orders for the third time and termed them illegal.
Abbasi had put forth arguments pertaining to the case, objecting that all of the statements related to the case were in Hindi language.
Rizwan Abbasi, told The Express Tribune, that after today's decision, jail authorities are bound to release his client. "The court orders will be submitted before the jail superintendent soon and then my client will be released," he said.
India summoned Pakistan's High Commissioner Abdul Basit to convey its objection to the court's order, NDTV reported.
"He may have been granted bail but as you know the trial continues, we are all working to complete the trial. Let the judicial process take its course," Basit said after the meeting.
In its reaction, the Indian home ministry said, “It is the responsibility of Pakistan's government to take all legal measures to ensure that Lakhvi does not come out of jail,” Zee News reported.
The ministry cautioned Pakistan to realise that “there are no good or bad terrorists.”
“The overwhelming evidence against 2008 Mumbai attack mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi has not been presented properly before court by Pakistani agencies,” home ministry said.
On December 18, 2014, Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Mujahid Sherdil issued detention orders under section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order, which was subsequently extended for the third time. Lakhvi is currently under detention in Adiala Jail.
Read: Jaishankar's visit: Pressure mounts on Lakhvi case, says lawyer
The prime objective of the detention was to prevent Lakhvi from attending any public meeting and potentially regrouping. However, Rizwan Abbasi argued that the anti-terrorism court granted bail to his client; but the government is flouting the same orders by not releasing his client. He had requested the court to annul the detention orders.
Lakhvi, a senior figure of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba, is accused of being involved in planning, financing and executing the Mumbai attacks in 2008, which killed over 160 people.
Read: Mumbai attacks' mastermind: 'Inform court before registering more cases against Lakhvi'
Since then it has been extended thrice. Currently, Lakhvi is under detention in Adiala Jail.
COMMENTS (31)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ