A Pakistani court had set free Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi. (PTI)
Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi has requested a Pakistani court to exempt him from having to appear in person, citing security reasons, local media reported on Tuesday.
An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) is scheduled to resume trial in the Mumbai terror attack case on Wednesday, Pakistani news organisation Dawn online reported.
ATC Judge Sohail Ikram on Monday issued notices to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) seeking a reply on Lakhvi's application by May 6.
Since the trial in the Mumbai terror attack case began in February 2009, Lakhvi and six others had been attending the proceedings inside Rawalpindi's Adiala jail.
But after his release from jail on April 10 due to the Lahore High Court's dismissal of detention orders issued against him by the Okara District Coordination Officer on March 14, Lakhvi will have to appear before the court on his own.
Advocate Raja Rizwan Abbasi, counsel for Lakhvi, argued before the court that his client had been facing threats and might be assassinated while coming to, or leaving the court.
He pointed out that Lakhvi had been kept in tight security inside the jail as the law enforcement agency knew he might be targeted.
Advocate Abbasi requested the court to exempt him from personal attendance during the course of hearing.