Mumbai terror attack trial in Rawalpindi stuck

NEW DELHI: The Mumbai terror attack trial in Rawalpindi has lost all attention of the Pakistan government. On Wednesday, the prosecutor himself failed to turn up at a hearing scheduled after a two-month hiatus.

ET has reliably gathered that Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency, which is supposed to be looking at the Pakistan end of the investigations, told its prosecutor to abstain from the hearing.

As a result, the matter was adjourned yet again without the conduct of any proceedings.


Already, prime accused Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, who was head of operations in the Lashkar-e-Taiba, is out on bail. He was arrested after the 26/11 attacks, but his stay in Adiala prison became folklore for the comforts he allegedly enjoyed.

The needle has been stuck in such a way in these trials that six other accused who helped in the logistics of the attack have also filed for bail.

These include Hammad Amin, Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Muhammand Younus, Shahid Jamil and Sufyan Zafar.

This was the first hearing after Imran Khan took over as the prime minister. The next hearing is said to be slated for September 26, but Indian authorities are not very hopeful of a change in approach.

Action against those responsible for the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008 has been a consistent Indian demand with successive Pakistan governments. In this case, there was irrefutable technical evidence, obtained from the Indian scene with the help of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which was meant to strengthen the hands of the prosecution in Pakistan.

Former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif had assured both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his predecessor Manmohan Singh of taking this case to its logical conclusion.

Instead, Sharif himself landed in prison on corruption charges.

The last proper hearing, sources said, was held on July 11 when the six accused filed for bail.