The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday ordered the Punjab government to make a decision regarding the detention of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, main accused in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, within five days.
Lakhvi had submitted an application in the LHC with two pleas — one which challenged his detention and the other regarding contempt of court against the federal and provincial governments. He had adopted the stance that his detention was illegal and in contempt of Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) ruling.
The application also said that the Punjab home secretary should be bound to end his detention.
The petition sought the court’s direction for the Punjab home secretary to decide the matter of Lakhvi’s detention in the light of an order, earlier passed by IHC.
Last week, the judge had dismissed a similar petition of Lakhvi, directing him to file a representation before the Okara district coordination officer (DCO).
The IHC had set aside third-time detention of Lakhvi and ordered the authorities to release him immediately. However, before his release, the Okara DCO on March 14 had issued a fresh detention order against Lakhvi.
Justice Mahmood Maqbool Bajwa presided over Thursday’s hearing and dismissed Lakhvi’s plea regarding contempt of court by the federal and provincial governments. The court also ordered the Punjab home secretary to make a decision in relation to Lakhvi’s detention in five days’ time.
