Bowing to international outrage over a Pakistani anti-terrorism court granting bail to Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi, the Mumbai blasts mastermind and Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist, Pakistan government has taken him into custody under the Maintenance of Public Order, television reports said.

The Pakistan government had earlier said that it would appeal against the court ruling.

Speaking to NDTV, Prosecutor of Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency, Azhar Chaudhry said: 'Once we get the order we will appeal against bail plea and demand a stay order.'

On Thursday, an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad, directed Lakhvi to pay surety bonds worth Pakistani Rs 500,000 before he can be released on bail.

Reports, meanwhile, said that while bail has been granted to Lakhvi, he still remains in detention.
 
India officially conveyed its concern and displeasure to Pakistan over the bail granted to Lakhvi.

"We have communicated to Pakistan through diplomatic channels our strong concerns on the matter and the sentiments across country that this will make mockery of Pakistan's commitment to fight terror groups without making distinctions," Syed Akbaruddin, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, said.

"We have seen the prosecution of the seven accused in the anti- terror court in Islamabad. The repeated postponement, adjournments, unavailability of law officers or witnesses is well documented. However, the move yesterday to grant bail to Lakhvi has taken this saga to another level," Akbaruddin said.
 
At the time of the 26/11 attack, Lakhvi was believed to be the operational head of the banned Laskhar-e-Taiba (LeT) that is accused by India of carrying out the attack in its financial capital.

The news about Lakhvi's bail led to expressions of shock in India, especially as it came a day after parliamentarians and school children across India observed two minutes silence over the Peshawar school terror attack and many also held candle light marches to denounce the killing of over 130 children.

Minister Rajnath Singh, reacting to the news of the bail, said it was "very unfortunate, and believe it should not have happened," and added that the evidence provided by India to Pakistan on the Mumbai terror case was "more than enough to nail him".

He said the Pakistan government should appeal in a higher court and get the bail cancelled.

The external affairs ministry, in a strong statement, said the bail granted to Lakhvi would "serve as a reassurance to terrorists who perpetrate heinous crimes" and called up Pakistan to immediately take steps to reverse the decision.

It said "Given the scale of the tragedy that Pakistan itself has faced in recent days, it is incumbent on it to realise that no compromise can ever be made with terrorists", and that "There can be no selective approaches to terrorism".

Indian political leaders, cutting across party lines, Thursday condemned the bail to Lakhvi and expressed doubts whether Pakistan was "serious enough" in its fight against terror.

"The fight against terror cannot be duplicitous, seeking to differentiate between the ones who operate in India and others who attack in Pakistan," BJP leader Nalin Kohli told IANS.

"The case of Hafiz Saeed and Lakhvi confirms complete non-serious approach by which Pakistan seeks to deny justice for the victims of Mumbai terror attacks," he said.

Senior BJP leader L.K. Advani also termed the bail order "very shocking", especially coming after the Peshawar attack.

The Congress said it was the responsibility of Pakistan to "ensure justice" to the victims of Mumbai attack.

"We have given all evidence against the perpetrators of the 26/11 attack to Pakistani establishment and it is imperative that the prosecutor ensure justice to the victims," said the party's Sanjay Jha.

"It is Pakistan government's responsibility to ensure that people like Lakhvi and Hafiz Saeed, who roam freely there making speeches against India are stopped and immediate action is taken against them," Jha told IANS.

Former union minister Shashi Tharoor also termed the bail "truly shocking".

The Aam Aadmi Party also said Pakistan should get Lakhvi's bail cancelled.

Source: Yahoo