NEW DELHI, Dec 18:
Home Minister Rajnath Singh today blamed Pakistan for the bail granted to Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, saying there might be some shortcomings on the part of the prosecution in taking forward the case.
Terming the bail to Lakhvi as “very unfortunate” as it came just two days after the terror attack in Peshawar where over 130 schoolchildren were killed, he hoped that the Pakistan Government will approach a higher court against the lower court order and ensure its cancellation.
“There might be some shortcomings on the part of the Pakistan Government somewhere or could be due to some other reasons (the bail was granted),” he said at a hurriedly-called press briefing, hours after a Pakistani court gave bail to LeT operations commander Lakhvi, currently lodged at a jail.
According to Lakhvi’s counsel advocate Raja Rizwan Abbasi, bail was granted as “evidence against Lakhvi was deficient”.
Singh said India had pursued the Mumbai attacks case meticulously and that 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.
Singh said that Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had asserted that operations against terror elements will continue in his country till terrorism ends.
“So, I hope that the Pakistan Government will appeal in a higher court so that Lakhvi’s bail is cancelled,” he said.
The Home Minister also demanded that India’s most wanted terrorists, including Lashkar-e-Toiba founder Hafiz Sayeed, should be handed over to it.
“Pakistan should hand over our most wanted terrorists. This has been our continuous stand,” he said.
Singh 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 Modi did whatever a Prime Minister should do after such a tragedy.
“Not only people of Pakistan, but people of India are equally hurt over the killings of so many innocent children,” he said.
Replying a question about Hafiz Sayeed’s threat to India, Singh said “India is not scared of any threat”.
Singh said the Government is taking all possible steps for security during the ensuing visit of US President Barack Obama.
“Whatever high preparation is required, we are doing it. We have sent alerts too,” Singh said.
His comments came when asked about the steps taken for security after the Peshawar terror attack in which 148 people, including 132 children were killed.
Asked about the possibility of terror attacks in the capital, the Home Minister said all possible action is being taken as “nothing can be ruled out”.
The Home Ministry yesterday alerted the States to the heightened possibility of terror attacks ahead of the US President’s visit to India next month.(PTI)
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