Pak SC adjourns Lakhvi's hearing in a Mumbai attack case

Pakistan's Supreme Court adjourned for two weeks the hearing of LeT commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi's petition seeking his acquittal in a case related to the Mumbai attacks to study the confessional statement of Ajmal Kasab, handed out death sentence in India.

Pakistan's Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned for two weeks the hearing of LeT commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi's petition seeking his acquittal in a case related to the Mumbai attacks to study the confessional statement of Ajmal Kasab, handed out death sentence in India.

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A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry decided to put off the matter for a fortnight after receiving a copy of Kasab's confessional statement from Lakhvi's counsel Khwaja Sultan.

In his petition, Lakhvi had sought his acquittal in a case in a Rawalpindi-based anti-terrorism court and the termination of criminal proceedings against him.

Lakhvi's counsel had also asked the apex court to bar the anti-terrorism court and the prosecution from using Kasab’s statement against his client because it was recorded by an Indian magistrate.

During a hearing last week, the bench had sought a copy of Kasab's confessional statement as it was linked to an important case in Pakistan.

On receiving a copy of Kasab's statement, Chief Justice Chaudhry said the bench needed time to go through the document.