Pakistan to hold Mumbai attack mastermind Lakhvi's trial on daily basis

Islamabad, Feb 3: Hearing in the trial of Zakiur rehman Lakhvi - an alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks - will be held on day-to-day basis, the Islamabad High Court said, accepting the request of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

FIA prosecutor Chaudhry Azhar had requested a day-to-day hearing in Lakhvi's case, Dawn reported citing sources as saying.

Prosecutor Azhar was quoted as saying, "This case is crucial. The world's eyes are on this case. Therefore, it should be heard daily by IHC."

Lakhvi was arrested in February 2009 for masterminding the 2008 Mumbai terror attack that left 166 people dead. He was indicted with six others Nov 25, 2009, on the basis of the confessional statement of the lone surviving attacker Ajmal Kasab, who was executed in India Nov 21, 2012.

Lakhvi, 54, was reportedly arrested from the headquarters of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant group in Muzaffarabad, soon after the attacks.

The hearing in the case will commence Friday.

The hearing scheduled at the Islamabad High Court Tuesday was postponed as the protracted case of Mumtaz Qadri, the policeman jailed for murdering Punjab governor Salman Taseer, was heard in its place.

IANS