United Nations: A United Nations Security Council (UNSC) committee has assured India that it would take up the issue of Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi's release at its next meeting, after India expressed concern that his release from a Pakistani jail violates the provisions of the global body.
India's ambassador to the UN Asoke Mukerji had written a letter to the chair of the UNSC al-Qaida sanctions committee ambassador Jim McLay expressing concern over Lakhvi's release, pointing out that as a listed terrorist, Lakhvi can neither receive or give money since all his assets and financial resources have to be frozen. Any bail money posted for Lakhvi is also a violation of the provisions of the committee.
Acknowledging India's concerns, McLay has assured that the matter would be discussed at the panel's next meeting, UN sources said. The next meet is expected to take place in the next few days. The panel had listed Lakhvi in December 2008 as a terrorist associated with LeT and al-Qaida for “participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing or perpetrating of acts of activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf or in support of both entities.”
As a listed terrorist, Lakhvi is subject to freezing of assets, ban on travel and an arms embargo. The committee said that as chief of operations and military commander of LeT, Lakhvi has directed its operations, including in Iraq and South-East Asia. “In past years, Lakhvi has played an important role in LeT fund raising activities, receiving donations from al Qaida affiliates on behalf of LeT. He has also managed a training camp in Afghanistan,” according to the committee website. Lakhvi's release had also raised concerns in the US, UK, Russia, France and Germany .
Lakhvi is 'innocent': Hafiz Saeed
Claiming that Lakhvi is innocent, chief of banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa Hafiz Saeed said India was trying to put pressure on Pakistan through the UN and the US to punish him for the 2008 Mumbai attack.
"India has no evidence against Lakhvi. Out of desperation it has contacted the United Nations and the US to pressure the Pakistani government to give punishment to Lakhvi. India and the UN have no right to intervene in the judicial system of Pakistan. India had never accepted the decisions of the Pakistani courts in the past," he said.
