File photo of Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi
Two days after the Islamabad High Court set a two-month deadline for the conclusion of the 2008 Mumbai attack case, an anti-terrorism court today began its process by summoning five witnesses next week for recording their statements in the trial of Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and six other accused.
In a related development, the federal government notified the appointment of one more prosecutor to strengthen the prosecution team which now comprises of four lawyers.
After the directions of the Islamabad High Court, which set a two-month deadline for the conclusion of the case, Anti-Terrorism Court Islamabad judge Sohail Akbar held the hearing at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi where the six accused are lodged and summoned five witnesses on April 22.
The Islamabad High Court on April 13 warned the trial court that it would accede to Pakistan government's plea to cancel the bail granted to Lakhvi if it failed to conclude the case by mid-June.
The hearings till the conclusion of the case against 55-year-old Lakhvi and the six other accused will be held in Adiala Jail, a court official told PTI.
"Today the record of the case was also presented in the trial court which had been lying with the Islamabad High Court for more than two months in connection with the government's plea for cancellation of bail to Lakhvi," the official said.
He said the trail court showed urgency in meeting the deadline set by the Islamabad High Court.
On April 10, Mumbai attack mastermind Lakhvi was released from the Adiala Jail after the Lahore High Court suspended his detention under Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) as the government failed to present "sensitive evidence" against him in the court.