This story is from April 29, 2018

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LAHORE: Pakistan's interior ministry has abruptly removed the chief prosecutor from the Mumbai terror attack case for "not taking the government line", an official said on Sunday, in a major setback to India's efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice.Ten Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists had sailed into Mumbai from Karachi and carried out coordinated attacks, killing 166 people and injuring over 300 in November 2008."The Interior Ministry has removed Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Special Prosecutor Chaudhry Azhar , who had been representing as chief of prosecution in the Mumbai attack case since 2009, from the high-profile case," an official of the FIA privy to the development told PTI.Azhar has been told that his services in the Mumbai attack case are no more required, he said."Azhar has only been separated from the Mumbai attack case. However, he will continue to representing the state in other cases like Benazir assassination," he said.He developed differences with the government over the "manner" the case was being pursued, the official said."The government has its own 'special consideration' in this case and Azhar perhaps is not taking the government line. He was keen to follow the high profile case by book," the official tried to explain the possible reasons of the differences between the chief prosecutor and the ruling PML-N government.When contacted, Azhar only confirmed that he was asked to stop pursuing the Mumbai attack case."I am no more with this case," he said.The government offered no explanation of the decision, terming it a routine matter."It seems to be a routine matter. I will have to talk to the relevant persons to know the reason," an official of interior ministry said.The Mumbai attack case has entered into the 10th year but none of its suspects in Pakistan has been punished yet, showing that the case had never been in the priority list of the country that appears to be keen to put it under the carpet.The weekly hearing in this case hardly takes place since the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) has completed the statement of all (70) prosecution witnesses.According to the prosecution, the case may not further proceed till the Indian government sends its 24 witnesses to Pakistan to record their statements.Pakistan has written to India in this regard. India replied that Pakistan must put Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed on trial based on the evidence it had provided to it.A number of Pakistani witnesses both official and private testified and provided evidence against the seven accused... but still the Pakistani authorities have been insisting on sending Indian witnesses for reaching a verdict in the nine-year-old case."The Mumbai attack case is being tried in an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad since 2009. There has hardly been any such case in any ATCs in country taking more than nine years and still pending. The ATCs are meant for speedy trial but in this case the ATC is acting like that of a sessions' court where a case is usually not decided in years."It appears that the state is not in a hurry to decide this case since the matter is related to its arch-rival India," a senior lawyer said.Had the authorities concerned here been serious, this case would have been decided years ago, he said.Seven LeT suspects -- Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younis Anjum -- are facing charges of abetment to murder, attempted murder, planning and executing the Mumbai attack since 2009.Except Lakhvi, the other six are kept in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.In Video: 26/11 Mumbai attack case: Pakistan sacks chief prosecutor for ‘not taking govt line’</s>Pakistan home ministry has removed chief prosecutor in the Mumbai attack case. Watch the video to know more.</s>Pakistan's Interior Ministry has abruptly removed the chief prosecutor from the Mumbai terror attack case for "not taking the government line", an official said today, in a major setback to India's efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice.</s>In a blow to India’s efforts to bring the perpetrators of 26/11 to justice, Pakistan’s interior ministry removed the chief prosecutor from the nine-year-old case for his “unbiased and independent” approach.The prosecutor’s attitude was not considered by authorities to be synchronised with the government’s line, an official privy to the development was quoted by the media as saying on Sunday.The move comes two days after the US urged Pakistan to fully cooperate with India to investigate the Mumbai attacks. “We want to see justice done and we continue to urge Pakistani cooperation,” Mark Toner, US State Department spokesperson had said on Friday.An official of Federal Investigation Agency told PTI that the interior ministry has removed FIA’s special prosecutor Chaudhry Azhar, who had been serving as chief of prosecution in the high-profile case since 2009. Explaining his differences with the government, the official said, “He was keen to go by the book in the high-profile case.”The Federal Investigation Agency official said that 26/11 case prosecutor Azhar had developed differences with the government over the “manner” the case was being pursued. Azhar confirmed that he was asked to stop pursuing the Mumbai attack case. “I am no more with this case,” he said. The home ministry, however, called the move a routine matter. “It seems to be a routine matter. I will have to talk to the relevant persons to know the reason,” the report quoted an official of the interior ministry saying.In November 2008, ten Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists had sailed into Mumbai from Pakistan’s port city of Karachi and launched coordinated attacks at various places in the city on November 26, killing 166 people and injuring over 300.The Mumbai attack case has been moving at extremely slow pace in Pakistan and the key persons accused by India with solid evidence roam freely even after 10 years. The anti-terrorism court has completed recording of the statements of all Pakistani witnesses in the case and now authorities here claim that the ball is in India’s court as it as the foreign office had written in March to the Indian government asking it to send all 24 witnesses to Pakistan for recording statements in the trial court. Without recording of statements of Indian witnesses, the trial could not move ahead, officials here say. India replied that Pakistan must put Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed on trial based on the evidence it had provided to it.“It appears that the state is not in a hurry to decide this case since the matter is related to its arch-rival India,” a senior lawyer said.Had the authorities been serious, this case would have been decided years ago, he said. Seven LeT suspects — Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younis Anjum — are facing charges of abetment to murder, attempted murder, planning and executing the Mumbai attack since 2009. Except Lakhvi, the other six are kept in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.</s>The Mumbai attack case has entered into the 10th year but none of its suspects in Pakistan has been punished yet.

Pakistan's interior ministry has abruptly removed the chief prosecutor from the Mumbai terror attack case for "not taking the government line", an official said on Sunday, in a major setback to India's efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Ten Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorists had sailed into Mumbai from Karachi and carried out coordinated attacks, killing 166 people and injuring over 300 in November 2008.

"The interior ministry has removed Federal Investigation Agency Special Prosecutor Chaudhry Azhar, who had been representing as chief of prosecution in the Mumbai attack case since 2009, from the high-profile case," an official of the FIA privy to the development told PTI.

Azhar has been told that his services in the Mumbai attack case are no more required, he said.

"Azhar has only been separated from the Mumbai attack case. However, he will continue to representing the state in other cases like Benazir assassination," he said.

Azhar developed differences with the government over the "manner" the case was being pursued, the official said.

"The government has its own 'special consideration' in this case and Azhar perhaps is not taking the government line. He was keen to follow the high profile case by book," the official tried to explain the possible reasons of the differences between the chief prosecutor and the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government.

When contacted, Azhar only confirmed that he was asked to stop pursuing the Mumbai attack case.

"I am no more with this case," he said.

The government offered no explanation of the decision, terming it a routine matter.

"It seems to be a routine matter. I will have to talk to the relevant persons to know the reason," an official of interior ministry said.

The Mumbai attack case has entered into the 10th year but none of its suspects in Pakistan has been punished yet, showing that the case had never been in the priority list of the country that appears to be keen to put it under the carpet.

The weekly hearing in this case hardly takes place since the Anti-Terrorism Court has completed the statement of all (70) prosecution witnesses.

According to the prosecution, the case may not further proceed till the Indian government sends its 24 witnesses to Pakistan to record their statements.

Pakistan has written to India in this regard. India replied that Pakistan must put Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed on trial based on the evidence it had provided to it.

A number of Pakistani witnesses both official and private testified and provided evidence against the seven accused... but still the Pakistani authorities have been insisting on sending Indian witnesses for reaching a verdict in the nine-year-old case.

"The Mumbai attack case is being tried in an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad since 2009. There has hardly been any such case in any ATCs in country taking more than nine years and still pending. The ATCs are meant for speedy trial but in this case the ATC is acting like that of a sessions' court where a case is usually not decided in years.

"It appears that the state is not in a hurry to decide this case since the matter is related to its arch-rival India," a senior lawyer said.

Had the authorities concerned here been serious, this case would have been decided years ago, he said.

Seven LeT suspects -- Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younis Anjum -- are facing charges of abetment to murder, attempted murder, planning and executing the Mumbai attack since 2009.

Except Lakhvi, the other six are kept in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.

LeT operation commander Lakhvi got his freedom about three years ago after securing bail. He has been living in an undisclosed location since then. There are reports that he had come to the Jamaat-ud-Dawa headquarters in Lahore last November to greet Saeed on his release from a 10-month detention under terrorism and public safety laws.

Some 166 people were killed in the attack carried out by 10 LeT men. Nine of the attackers were killed by police while lone survivor Ajmal Kasab was caught and hanged after handed down death sentence.

The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the LeT which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai attack.</s>[India], Apr 30 (ANI): Senior Lawyer and Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam on Sunday said that Pakistan's sudden decision to remove Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) special prosecutor Chaudhry Azhar implied that Islamabad was saving the terrorists who were responsible for the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

Speaking to ANI, Nikam said, "If Pakistan has removed the chief public prosecutor from the 26/11 case, this simply means that they want to save the terrorists who were responsible for the attacks. This is all due to the pressure that has been building on Pakistan after David Headley's testimony."

"If they have removed their chief public prosecutor and they gave the reason that he was not following the government's instruction, so what does it mean? From 2008, he has been working as a government lawyer and now in 2018, all of a sudden, the Pakistan government says that he would be no longer required for the 26/11 trial case. It means that the Pakistan government wanted to harbour the terrorists who were responsible for the 26/11 attacks," he added.

In his 2016 testimony, terrorist David Headley, who is currently serving a 35-year jail term in the United States, had praised Ajmal Amir Kasab for carrying out the strikes and revealed that he had visited Mumbai seven times before the attacks and surveyed strategic locations such as the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and a naval base.

On Sunday, Pakistan's Interior Ministry abruptly removed Azhar from the 26/11 attack case for "not taking the government line." He was representing as chief of prosecution in the Mumbai attack case since 2009.

On November 26, 2008, 10 Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists had sailed into Mumbai from Karachi and carried out coordinated attacks in different parts of the city, killing 166 people and injuring over 600 others.

The lone survivor, Ajmal Amir Kasab, was caught and was sentenced to death at Yerwada Central Jail in Pune in 2012.

The Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) was believed to have plotted the 26/11 attacks. Its mastermind, Hafiz Saeed, has been roaming freely in Pakistan.

New Delhi has, time and again, protested against Islamabad for harbouring Saeed, who is wanted for allegedly plotting the 2008 attack.

On a related note, the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief, who had recently been released from house arrest, is also looking to contest the general elections in Pakistan later this year, and has, thereby, formed a party by the name of Milli Muslim League (MML). (ANI)</s>ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has referred the matter of issuing NOC to Pakistan table tennis team to Ministry of Interior for their participation in World Table Tennis meet in Sweden.

A few days back, the team was off loaded at the Allama Iqbal Airport Lahore after it failed to produce NOC from the Ministry.

The Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) took strong notice of the incident, blaming the PSB for depriving players to reach Sweden in time.

However, the PSB reminded the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) that the Board never received any request from the Pakistan Table Tennis Federation (PTTF) for issuing NOC.

“We only received request for NOC on Friday. On the same day we have referred the matter to Ministry of Interior for NOC.

We know well that all those federations recognized by the international parent bodies have the right to send their teams abroad and that is why we have referred their matter to Ministry

of Interior for NOC,” claimed a PSB official when approached.

He said that copy of the request sent to Ministry of Interior on Friday was also forwarded to POA.</s>ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Sports Board has referred the matter of issuing a no objection certificate to the national table tennis team to the Ministry of Interior for its participation in a world meet in Sweden.

A few days back, the team was offloaded at the Allama Iqbal Airport in Lahore after it failed to produce the NOC from the ministry.

The Pakistan Olympic Association took strong notice of the incident, blaming the PSB for the team’s inability to reach Sweden in time.

However, the sports board reminded the POA that it never received any request from the Pakistan Table Tennis Federation for the NOC.

“We only received the request on Friday. We have referred the matter to the Ministry of Interior. We know that all federations recognised by their international parent bodies have the right to send their teams abroad and that’s why we have referred their matter to the Ministry of Interior for NOC,” a PSB official said. He said a copy of that request was also forwarded to the POA.</s>Pakistan bowling coach Azhar Mahmood "wants more" from Mohammad Amir, a challenge he believes the paceman will rise to in upcoming Test matches against Ireland and England.

Amir was the hottest property in world cricket after bursting on the scene as a teenager in 2009.

He was soon earning comparisons with fellow Pakistan left-arm fast bowler Wasim Akram, with Wasim himself declaring Amir a better bowler than he had been at the same age.

At 18, Amir was the youngest bowler to have reached the landmark of 50 Test wickets.

His first 14 matches in the five-day game saw him take 51 wickets at just a fraction over 23 apiece -- figures that had Amir on course to be an all-time great.

But Amir's world was turned upside down in 2010 when he and Mohammad Asif became involved in a spot-fixing scandal after deliberately bowling no-balls during the Lord's Test against England at the behest of then Pakistan captain Salman Butt.

In 2011 Amir was given a five-year ban by the International Cricket Council and sentenced to six months in jail by an English court.

Amir returned to international duty in 2016 but his 16 Tests since his comeback have yielded 44 wickets at a relatively expensive 37.25.

"We want more from Amir, as bowling coach I want more from Amir," Mahmood told AFP after the paceman took one wicket for 45 runs in 15 overs during Pakistan's drawn tour opener against Kent at Canterbury on Tuesday.

"If you see his record since he came back it's not great, but he was coming back after five years out," the former Pakistan all-rounder added. "He needs to take a bit more responsibility and get more wickets for us.

"If he's the leader of this attack, he needs to show us a bit more.

"I'm sure he will do that and that's what we want from him."

Given his lengthy absence it is unsurprising that the now 26-year-old Amir has not quite scaled the heights he reached earlier in his career.

Nevertheless, there have been some memorable moments since his return, with Amir taking a superb three for 16 in six overs as Pakistan thrashed arch-rivals India by 180 runs in the final of last year's Champions Trophy one-day tournament at The Oval.

Amir's figures against Kent on a cool, if sunny, day were nothing like as spectacular.

This, however, was a warm-up match, with Pakistan next facing Northamptonshire before providing the opposition for Ireland's inaugural Test and then returning to England for a two-Test series.

And one delivery from Amir, who served part of his prison sentence in Canterbury jail, stood out on Tuesday when he demolished the stumps of Alex Blake with a late-swinging yorker.

It certainly caught the admiring attention of Kent assistant coach Allan Donald, the former South Africa fast bowler.

"When I saw this kid a few years ago, he's one of the most skilful that's going around," Donald said.

"When you saw him knocking over those 'poles' that's exactly what you expect from him -- so much skill, so much imagination and creativity to produce that sort of thing on flat pitches."

He added: "When it gets flat, you have to think out of the box and to see that happening was an eye-opener."

Meanwhile Donald predicted Pakistan, whose last Test series in England ended in a highly creditable 2-2 draw in 2016, would impress again this year.

"There are some seriously good players in this Pakistan team," he said.

"I think it's going to be a great series -- I hope it warms up for them though."
Pakistan's Interior Ministry removes chief prosecutor Chaudhry Azhar from the case, which concerns the murders of 166 people. The Interior Ministry said Azhar did "not take the government line". Seven alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba members have been facing charges since 2009 but nobody has yet been convicted in Pakistan.