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ISLAMABAD, Dec. 18 (UPI) -- A Pakistani court granted bail Thursday to Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, a suspect in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack that killed 166 people. At the time of the three-day assault on the Indian city, Lakhvi was reportedly head of the banned Laskhar-iTaiba (LeT) militant group. He and six others are still awaiting trial on charges of planning and carrying out the attacks.
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An anti-terror court ordered Lakhvi to pay a Rs500,000 ($4,978.35) surety bond on Thursday as a condition of his release.
It is unclear on what ground the court decided to grant Lakhvi's petition for bail.
The court's decision comes a day after Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif vowed "to continue the war against terrorism till the last terrorist is eliminated." He also announced Wednesday the reinstatement of the death penalty for terror suspects.
The timing of the court's decision to grant Lakhvi bail struck many, including those in India, as odd given Sharif's public proclamations.
"It's very unfortunate, especially as it comes just after the Peshawar massacre. Pakistan must appeal in the next court. Pakistan needs to show more seriousness in taking 26/11 case trial to its logical conclusion," India's Home Ministry said in a statement.
The Indian government said it plans to submit a "strong response" protesting the bail decision through its diplomatic mission in Pakistan.
