Lok Sabha condemns Lakhvi bail, seeks pressure on Pakistan

New Delhi, Dec 19: The Lok Sabha on Friday passed a resolution condemning the release on bail of key 26/11 mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and asked the government to put pressure on Pakistan to bring the matter related to the Mumbai attack case to a satisfactory conclusion.

"We express grave concern of the Indian people that just after the tragic killing of innocent children and others in Peshawar, an accused terrorist could be released on bail by the same country," the quickly-drafted resolution said.

"It seems that the lesson that there should be no compromise with terrorists has not been learnt," it said.

The resolution asked the government to take every step to put pressure on Pakistan to bring the matter related to Mumbai attacks case to a satisfactory conclusion.

Earlier leaders, cutting across party lines, condemned the release on bail of Lakhvi by a Pakistan court.

An anti-terrorism court in Islamabad Thursday granted bail to Lakhvi, who is among the seven people charged with planning and helping to carry out the Nov 26-29, 2008, Mumbai terror attack which left at least 166 people, many of them foreigners, dead and injured hundreds of others. Lakhvi was again detained on Friday.

At the time of the 26/11 attacks, Lakhvi was believed to be the operational head of the banned Laskhar-e-Taiba (LeT) that India says was responsible for the carnage.

During a discussion on the matter in zero hour, Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge said: "After 132 children were killed in Pakistan, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had said that all steps would be taken now to contain terror."

Kharge: We want to know what is the stand of the government

"But just two days later, we saw another face of Pakistan. A court has granted bail to Lakhvi," he said.
"I want to ask the government, how this can be condemned. We want to know what is the stand of the government," he said.

Kharge said that since the prime minister has already spoken to Nawaz Sharif on the attack in Peshawar, "we want to know what was said".

"What was the assurance given by Sharif," he asked, adding: "We do not want to politicise the issue, but it will be better if the PM tells us."

Bharatiya Janata Party MP Kirit Somaiya questioned how a Pakistan court had let off Lakhvi.

"He should be immediately handed over to India and meet the fate as Ajmal Kasab," he added. Pakistani national Ajmal Amir Kasab was the sole surviving gunman of the Mumbai terror attack and was hanged after conviction.

Somaiya said the external affairs minister should speak to Pakistan on this.

IANS