All you need to know about Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi

Just a day after Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif vowed to end terrorism in Pakistan following the terrorist attack in Peshawar that killed 132 students an anti terrorism court on Thursday let off Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, a top LeT commander on bail . Lakhvi is accused to be one of the mastermind behind ghastly 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Lakhvi, a key conspirator 

54 year old Zaki-ur-Rehmani Lakhvi, a top LeT Commander, was named as a key conspirator behind the Mumbai attack by Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist who was detained by Mumbai police. The 26/11 terrorist attack killed more than 160 Indians.  LeT commander Lakhvi in cahooots with JUD leader Hafiz Saeed prepared the blueprint of the attack. Born in Punjab district of Pakistan,  Lakhvi features in NIA's most wanted list and is affably called Chachu (uncle) by young jihadists. Reports indicate Lakhvi was constantly remote controlling the operation and was in close contact with the terrorists during 26/11 attacks.

Lakhvi has allegedly directed military actions in places as varied as Chechnya, Bosnia, Iraq and South-east Asia. Ajmal Kasab said 'Zakki chachu' was present when recruits were trained in assembling and operating Kalashnikovs, grenades and rocket launchers. He had offered money to Kasab's family for their son's involvement in the terror attacks.

After Kasab's confession, the Indian officials named Lakhvi as one of the conspirators of the Mumbai terror attacks. On December 2008, in a raid in Pakistan occupied Kashmir, the armed forces managed to get hold of Lakhvi with 12 others. But they refused to hand him over to the Indian authorities. He was lodged at the Adiala jail in Rawalpindi.  On November 2009, Lakhvi and seven others were charged in connection with their alleged involvement in the 26/11 attack by an anti-terror court.  On Thursday, a Pakistan court granted bail to Lakhvi due to lack of evidence of his involvement in the Mumbai attack.

On Wednesday , Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif swore that there would be no differentiation between good Taliban and bad Taliban.  He also promised to fight terrorism “till the last terrorist is eliminated”. Although Federal Investigative Agency opposed his bail, he was granted bail as prosecutor couldn't furnish sufficient proof. A free Lakhvi is likely to keep security agencies on their toes in coming times.