Pakistan drops charges against 26/11 accused, says no proof

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has dropped charges against an accused in the 26 11 Mumbai attack case citing a lack of evidence.

Local media reported on Thursday that FIA submitted a chargesheet before an anti-terrorism court (ATC) and placed the suspect, Sufiyan Zafar, in the second column, which means that no evidence was found against him. But the prosecution told the court that Zafar, a suspected financier of the Mumbai attack, is still being investigated and ordered FIA to submit a separate challan to the court on September 22.

Zafar was arrested last month on a charge of financing the 26/11 Mumbai attacks in November, 2008. FIA documents revealed that Zafar, a former activist of the now banned Lashkar-e-Taiba, had provided financial assistance to other suspects in the case. The chargesheet against him mentioned that he had transferred Rs14, 800 into a suspect's account.

He was declared a proclaimed offender in 2011 when the ATC indicted seven people, including Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, a key planner, facilitator and executor of the Mumbai attacks.

Waseem Ranjha, FIA's deputy director (legal), informed the court that they were interrogating Zafar in Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail.

India funding terror, says Pak

Pakistan has claimed India is "financing terrorism" on its soil, saying that " open evidence is available of India's involvement in subversive activities".