ISLAMABAD: The anti-terrorism court conducting the 2008 Mumbai attackstrial issued summons on Wednesday to the two Pakistan-based prosecutionwitnesses in the case to record their statements.

The witnesses, Federal Investigation Agency’s additional directors WajidZia and Zahid Akhtar, will appear before the court next week.

The court also sought a response from the FIA and ministries of interiorand foreign affairs on the availability of the 27 India-based witnesses byMay 23.

The court lamented that despite repeated notices, it has not been informedof the status of Indian witnesses since January 2016.

During today’s hearing, the court recorded the statement of DPO DG KhanSohail Habib Tajik was recorded today.

In total, the court has recorded the statements of 85 prosecution witnessesin the case.

The primary suspect, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, is on post-arrest bail and didnot appear in court today. Lakhvi is said to be a senior operative of thebanned Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group.

His exemption from hearing request for today was approved by the court.

The other accused in the case, Hammad Amin, Shahid Jameel, Zafar Iqbal,Abdul Wahid, Mohammad Younas, Sufyan Zaffar and Jamil Ahmad, are in jail.

The trial has been under way since 2009.

Tag: Mumbai Attacks