Mumbai attack mastermind Lakhvi arrested, posturing by Pak after the embarrassment of Omar Sheikh episode

Islamabad [Pakistan], January 2 (ANI): Mumbai terror attack mastermind and Lashkar-e-Taiba operations commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi was arrested on Saturday for financing terrorism days after Pakistan received worldwide criticism for having released Ahmed Omer Saeed Shaikh, who was in jail in connection with the abduction and murder US journalist Daniel Pearl.
According to ARY News, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) arrested Lakhvi "an alleged member of a banned outfit" during a raid conducted in Lahore.
The department's spokesperson said that Lakhvi was arrested during a raid for allegedly financing terrorists.
Lakhvi was designated as a global terrorist by the United Nations under the United Nations Security Council Resolution in 2008 after the Mumbai attacks.
In April last year, Pakistan, which has been long accused of aiding and abetting terrorism, had removed about 1,800 names from its terrorist watchlist including of 2008 Mumbai Terror attack mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, according to data collected by castellum.aI, a New York-based regulatory technology company.
Lakhvi is accused of abetment to murder, attempted murder, planning and executing the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
The arrest of Lakhvi comes days after the Sindh High Court had directed to release terrorist Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, Fahad Naseem, Sheikh Adil and Salman Saqib in connection with the abduction and murder of US journalist Daniel Pearl.
Daily Pakistan had reported that Sindh High Court also ordered putting names of accused Ahmed Omer Saeed Shaikh and others in the exit control list (ECL). The accused have been in jail for the last 18 years. It ordered the accused to appear as and when the court summons them. (ANI)