India says Pakistan was given enough evidence against Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi

Islamabad/New Delhi: The decision to grant bail to Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, a key conspirator in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, drew fire from the Pakistani social media as well.

People in other parts of the world were also shocked. “We knew Pakistan would not change; didn’t expect the confirmation so breathtakingly quickly. Bail for Lakhvi,” tweeted London-based journalist Myra Macdonald.

Meanwhile, noting that the release comes just two days after the Peshawar attack, MEA spokesperson Akbaruddin said the grant of bail to Lakhvi will serve as a reassurance to terrorists who perpetrate heinous crimes.

National security advisor Ajit Doval spoke to senior officials of the MEA and MHA on the issue. Sources said he directed the MEA to immediately discuss the issue with the Indian High Commission in Islamabad to strongly persuade the Pakistani authorities to move a higher court.

The NSA is also in touch with senior intelligence, NIA and IB officials who were involved with investigations into the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and has sought a detailed report from them.

The NSA’s office is drafting a detailed note for the PM on the issue, just in case it is raised in Parliament, in which he will emphasise as to how Pakistan ignored hard evidence provided by Indian intelligence agencies against Lakhvi.

According to Lakhvi’s counsel Rizwan Abbasi, bail was granted as “evidence against Lakhvi was deficient”.

Union home minister Rajnath Singh said India had pursued the Mumbai attacks case meticulously and that it resulted in fast trial and delivery of justice to the case with the hanging of one of the terrorists Ajmal Kasab.

“But it is not happening in Pakistan. We have given enough evidence against the terrorists,” he said.

He also said he would speak to external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj so that New Delhi takes up the issue with Islamabad strongly. Asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s conversation with his Pakistani counterpart in the aftermath of the Peshawar incident, he said Mr Modi did whatever a PM should do after such a tragedy.

Replying to a question about Hafiz Saeed’s threat to India, Mr Singh said “India is not scared of any threat”.

BJP leader L.K. Advani said the bail was “very shocking”.