Prity Goswami

Correspondent – Delhi Bureau

[email protected]

New Delhi, December 18:

Top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi has been granted bail by an anti-terror court in Pakistan accused of plotting the 26/11 terror attack on Mumbai in 2008, a day after the country’s prime minister, Nawaz Sharif pledged to root out terrorism.

The Islamabad court granted Lakhvi bail as it said the prosecution had been unable to provide evidence against him. Lakhvi was among seven people arrested in the Mumbai attacks trial in Pakistan in 2009 and was lodged at the Adiala jail in Rawalpindi. He had applied for bail yesterday.

He was the key plotter of 26/11 Mumbai attack and was operating the 10 terrorists during the execution of the plan. Lakhvi applied for bail yesterday

“This is a matter of grave concern especially after Pakistan faced such a major attack and the Pakistan Prime Minister promised to crush terrorism.” – Prakash Javadekar.

Hafiz Saeed, accused by India of masterminding the 26/11 attacks and one of the world’s most wanted men, already roams free in Pakistan and yesterday appeared on national TV blaming India for the massacre of the children at the Peshawar school and vowing revenge.

Saeed too was arrested in the 26/11 trial in Pakistan in 2008 and was placed under house arrest. He was later released on court orders.

In jail, sources said, Lakhvi was allowed many amenities, including the use of a cell phone.