The Supreme Court of Pakistan Thursday refused to entertain a petition filed by co-accused in the 2008 Mumbai attacks seeking quashment of criminal proceedings.
Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, leader of the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawaa, an islamic organization in Pakistan, and six other suspects were arrested and charged under Pakistani anti-terrorism laws in Nov. 2009 after Ajamal Kasab, the lone survived Mumbai attacker named these people in planning the carnage.
Khawaja Sultan, counsel for the petitioner arguing the case, said that the trial court, anti-terrorism court, might convict his client on the basis of the confessional statement of Ajmal Kasab convicted in Nov. 26 Mumbai attacks.
The apex court bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, told the counsel for Lakhvi to approach trial court instead of coming directly to the Supreme Court.
Sultan said that Lakhvi has been declared co-accused in Mumbai terror attacks in the light of the statement of Ajmal Kasab before the Indian court.
"The statement of Ajmal Kasab was made in an alien country", he said.
When the court asked about the commencement of Lakhvi trial the counsel said that the trial has not yet been commenced but his client was named accused in the case.
The court observed that the trial of the case should commence first and after that the petitioner can approach the Supreme Court if he is not satisfied with the verdict of trial court.
Sultan informed the court that he had also filed an application before the Supreme Court seeking acquittal of Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi.
After the observation of the court, counsel for Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi sought permission to withdraw the petition.
The court granted the permission and dismissed the case as withdrawn.
Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, leader of the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawaa, an islamic organization in Pakistan, and six other suspects were arrested and charged under Pakistani anti-terrorism laws in Nov. 2009 after Ajamal Kasab, the lone survived Mumbai attacker named these people in planning the carnage.
Khawaja Sultan, counsel for the petitioner arguing the case, said that the trial court, anti-terrorism court, might convict his client on the basis of the confessional statement of Ajmal Kasab convicted in Nov. 26 Mumbai attacks.
The apex court bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, told the counsel for Lakhvi to approach trial court instead of coming directly to the Supreme Court.
Sultan said that Lakhvi has been declared co-accused in Mumbai terror attacks in the light of the statement of Ajmal Kasab before the Indian court.
"The statement of Ajmal Kasab was made in an alien country", he said.
When the court asked about the commencement of Lakhvi trial the counsel said that the trial has not yet been commenced but his client was named accused in the case.
The court observed that the trial of the case should commence first and after that the petitioner can approach the Supreme Court if he is not satisfied with the verdict of trial court.
Sultan informed the court that he had also filed an application before the Supreme Court seeking acquittal of Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi.
After the observation of the court, counsel for Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi sought permission to withdraw the petition.
The court granted the permission and dismissed the case as withdrawn.
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