Strong message sent to Pakistan: PM Modi says on bail to 26/11 plotter Lakhvi
The bail granted to the 26/11 plotter just after the slaughter of children in Peshawar has left everybody shocked, says PM in Lok Sabha.
India has strongly conveyed its sentiments to Pakistan over a court granting bail to 26/11 Mumbai terror attack plotter Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in the Lok Sabha on Friday.
"Pakistan has been told in very clear terms," Modi said after Opposition demanded a statement from the PM on the issue.
He said people of India felt the same amount of the pain the Pakistanis felt at the massacre of the school children. "There are tears in the eyes of every Indian."
"And soon after, the attitude shown by them is a serious blow to humanity. It has shocked all those who believe in humanity," he said.
India's approach towards Pakistan on the issue would be in tune with the sentiments expressed by Indian MPs, he said.
Speaking after the Prime Minister, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said in the House: "Pakistan has made a mockery of their commitment of fighting terror groups without hesitation by granting bail to Lakhvi. We demand that the decision be revoked," she said.
Soon after, the Lok Sabha passed a resolution condemning the bail. Resolution, read out by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, asked the government to take every step to put pressure on Pakistan to bring the matter related to 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks to a satisfactory conclusion.
Lakhvi is currently under detention at a jail in Rawalpindi as the Nawaz Sharif government prepares to challenge the bail granted to him by an anti-terrorism court. He is unlikely to be released.
"We are going to challenge the bail order of Lakhvi," government prosecutor Chaudhry Azhar told Reuters. "We will go to Islamabad High Court on Monday to file the application."
Lakhvi would not be able to leave the prison until then, he said, as he was being held under a law that allows short detentions without charge, in the interest of keeping order.
Lakhvi is among the seven Pakistani nationals accused of planning and abetting the brazen terror attack in Mumbai on November 26, 2008 that left 166 dead, including foreigners.
