ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday restored the detention of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, one of the main accused in the 26/11 Mumbai attack case.
A two-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja issued its directives while hearing a case related to a petition filed by the federal government against the suspension of detention of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) had suspended the notification of Lakhvi’s detention under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) on December 29. He was detained under the MPO at the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi after an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad on December 18 granted bail to him.
During the proceedings on Wednesday, Justice Jawwad S Khawaja said that it seems that the high court gave its verdict to suspend Lakhvi’s detention in a hurry.
Justice Khawaja said that the federal government had not been given the opportunity to present its argument. He said that the IHC’s decision could not be upheld.
The apex court sent back the case to the IHC and maintained that the high court must hear the arguments of both parties.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Supreme Court issued a notice to Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi over the federal government’s plea against the suspension of his detention orders.
The apex court also restrained a local magistrate from proceeding on the bail application of Lakhvi in a kidnapping case.
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