26/11 mastermind Lakhvi's detention order suspended

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Monday suspended the detention order of Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi, the alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi presided over Monday's hearing in response to a petition filed by Lakhvi, seeking an end to his detention.

On Dec 18, Lakhvi was granted post-arrest bail by an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad.

However, the federal government extended his detention in the Adiala Jail under the Maintenance of Public Order ordinance.

On Dec 26, Lakhvi had challenged his detention in the IHC.

During Monday's hearing, Lakhvi's counsel Rizwan Abbasi said that the court had previously accepted his client's bail but it was the administration that detained him which was unlawful.

He said that granting bail was an issue of fundamental rights.

After hearing the counsel's arguments, the court suspended Lakhvi's detention.

Lakhvi is among the seven persons charged with planning and helping carry out the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The six other men facing trial in Adiala Jail for their alleged involvement in the Mumbai attacks are Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Younas Anjum, Jamil Ahmed, Mazhar Iqbal and Abdul Majid.

At the time of the attacks, Lakhvi was believed to be the operational head of the banned Laskhar-e-Taiba that has been accused by India of carrying out the attacks in India's financial capital.

Lakhvi, along with Zarar Shah, was allegedly the key planner of the attack that killed 166 people.