Parties condemn bail to 2008 Mumbai attack mastermind

Politicians, cutting across party lines, Thursday condemned a Pakistani court's decision to grant bail to Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, the man accused of masterminding the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that left 166 people dead.

They also expressed doubts whether Pakistan was "serious enough" in its fight against terrorism.

"The fight against terror cannot be duplicitous, seeking to differentiate between the ones who operate in India and others who attack in Pakistan," BJP spokesman Nalin Kohli told IANS.

"The case of (Lashkar-e-Taiba founder) Hafiz Saeed and Lakhvi confirms complete non-serious approach by which Pakistan seeks to deny justice to the victims of Mumbai terror attacks," he said.

Reacting to the issue, the Congress said it was the responsibility of the Pakistan government to "ensure justice" to the victims of Mumbai attacks.

"We have given all evidences against the perpetrators of the 26/11 attacks to Pakistani establishment and it is imperative that prosecutor ensure justice to the victims," Congress spokesperson Sanjay Jha told IANS.

"It's the Pakistan government's responsibility to ensure that people like Lakhvi and Hafiz Saeed, who roam freely there making speeches against India are stopped and immediate action is taken against them," he said.

The Aam Aadmi Party also expressed the same sentiments and asked Pakistan to get the bail cancelled.

Lakhvi was granted bail Thursday by an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad. The attack on Mumbai by Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba in November 2008 left 166 people dead.