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Pakistan summons Indian envoy over "unnecessary hype"

Xinhua, March 14, 2015 Adjust font size:

Pakistan on Friday summoned a top Indian diplomat to protest over "unnecessary hype" twisted by New Delhi over a court order to release the suspect in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, state television reported.

Earlier India summoned Pakistani High Commissioner in New Delhi, Abdul Basit, to lodge protest against the Islamabad High Court's release order of Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi from a prison.

Lakhvi is the leader of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa group that India had blamed for the attacks.

"Indian Deputy High Commissioner in Islamabad, J P Singh was summoned to the Foreign Ministry and was told that India's hue and cry over Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi's release orders by the court is unjustified," PTV reported.

The Indian diplomat was told that Pakistani authorities detained Lakhvi under the Maintenance of Public Order after the court's order so Pakistan's integrity and commitment to try the accused of Mumbai attack should not be doubted.

The Indian diplomat was told that the release order of Lakhvi does not mean that the case against him has been ended.

Pakistan had arrested some suspects, including Lakhi, who are being tried. India, however, insists that Pakistan is delaying trial of the suspects.

"Pakistani officials hold the Indian government responsible for the delay in trial as despite Pakistan's repeated requests credible evidence about Mumbai attacks was never shared with Pakistan," the state TV quoted an unnamed foreign ministry official as saying.

The official said Pakistani authorities and prosecutors were not granted access for cross questioning of Mumbai attack's key accused in India.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) cancelled the detention orders of Lakhvi, who had challenged his detention order.

The government had detained Lakhvi after an anti-terrorism court had granted a bail to him in December, 2014.

The Indian External Affairs Ministry summoned Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit and sought from him an explanation over Lakhvi's release.

The Indian Home Ministry said in a statement that, "It is the responsibility of the Pakistan government to take all legal measures to ensure that Lakhvi does not come out of jail." Endi