US warns Pakistan over Lakhvi's release

The US reminded Pakistan that it had pledged to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks to justice

Days after Lahore High Court dismissed the detention order of Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, the United States has warned Pakistan of consequences for freeing the Mumbai terror attacks accused.

State Department spokesperson Jeff Rathke said that the US was "gravely concerned" about Lakhvi's release on bail and added that the concern had been conveyed to senior Pakistani officials over the course of many months, and as recently as yesterday, reported the Dawn.

While remarking that terror attacks were an assault on the "collective safety and security of all countries," Rathke reminded Pakistan that it had pledged to bring the perpetrators, financiers, and sponsors of the Mumbai terrorist attacks to justice. He urged Islamabad to follow on that commitment.

A day after the LHC ordered the government to release Lakhvi, Pakistani Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam had blamed India for the release by saying that New Delhi's "inordinate delay" in providing evidence of Lakhvi's involvement weakened the prosecution's case.

Referring to the statement, Rathke clearly indicated that such explanations were not enough to satisfy the US administration.

The attacks killed 166 civilians, including six Americans.