Pak Anti-terrorism Court Issues Fresh Warrants against Kasab, Ansari
An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan has issued fresh arrest warrants for Ajmal Kasab and Fahim Ansari even though prime accused Lashkar commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi moved a petition for bail, said media reports.
Judge Malik Muhammad Akram Awan, who is conducting the trial behind closed doors at the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi for security reasons, heard arguments by the prosecution and defence including on Kasab and Ansari, who are currently in custody in India, reports said.
On July 3, the prosecution had informed the court of the Indian government’s stand that Kasab could not be sent to Pakistan to join the proceedings.
The only surviving attacker of Mumbai terror attacks, Kasab has been convicted and sentenced to death while Ansari, an Indian, acquitted in the case though he continues to be in custody in connection with other offences.
During the proceedings, Judge Awan was reportedly irked by the prosecution’s request for fresh arrest warrants against Kasab and Ansari and said that he had already issued warrants on an earlier occasion, said reports.
He said that it was the Pakistan government’s responsibility to get Indian authorities to enforce the warrants issued earlier, reports said.
Defence lawyers too opposed the prosecution’s demand for fresh warrants, Lakhvi’s counsel Khwaja Sultan saying that Kasab had already been convicted and sentenced, said reports.
Sultan contended that bringing back Kasab to Pakistan to join anti-terrorism court’s proceedings served no purpose, reports said.
According to reports, the judge finally agreed to issue fresh arrest warrants for Kasab and Ansari and adjourned the proceedings till July 24.
Sultan submitted a bail application on behalf of Lakhvi.
The application said that Lakhvi had no known criminal record, that he was not wanted for any other crimes, that there was no other chargesheet against Lakhvi and that he had not been convicted for any crimes, said reports.
(Based on internet reports)
