US asks Pakistan to keep its pledge on Mumbai attacks

As a Pakistani court ordered the release of an alleged mastermind of the Mumbai terrorist attack, the US asked Pakistan to follow through on its pledge to bring its perpetrators and sponsors to justice.

The US was "monitoring reports that an Islamabad High Court judge suspended detention orders for the alleged Mumbai attack mastermind" Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki told reporters Friday.

"The Government of Pakistan has pledged its cooperation in bringing the perpetrators, financiers and sponsors of the Mumbai terrorist attacks to justice, and we urge Pakistan to follow through on that commitment," she said.

"Pakistan is a critical partner in a fight against terrorism," Psaki said.

While the US "can't speculate on the outcome of an ongoing legal process in Pakistan" she said according to their information Lakhvi remained in prison for now.

"Well, for now, let me also reiterate he remains in prison. Obviously, there's a range of ways that we share information. I'm not going to speak to that from the podium," Psaki said.

Asked how the Islamabad court's order for the release of Lakhvi would impact ongoing talks between India and Pakistan, she said: "Well, certainly, we support ongoing dialogue. I'm not going to speak to how it will impact talks between two other countries."

The spokesperson did not have a comment on reports that Pakistan had summoned an Indian diplomat to protest over India's inaction on 2007 Samjhauta Express bombing in which more than 50 Pakistanis were burnt alive saying she didn't "have any information on this."

India Friday summoned the Pakistan envoy in New Delhi to convey its outrage over the Islamabad court's order saying the release of a person designated as international terrorist by the United Nations will pose a threat that cannot be ignored.

Lakhvi is accused of masterminding the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terror attacks in which 166 people, including six Americans, were killed and over 600 wounded.

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)