Pak judge hearing into 26/11 case wants to quit

The judge hearing into the 26/11 Mumbai attacks case in Pakistan – Baqir Ali Rana – has expressed his willingness to quit the proceedings.

Rana, a judge of Pak anti-terrorism court, has told the Lahore High Court that he be excused from hearing the case. He cited unavoidable reasons for his decision to quit and the request was pending with the chief justice of the high court.

Probably Rana was under pressure just not from the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) but also from the Pakistani government and his request to quit the case again showed that Pakistan was not interested in bringing to justice the 26/11 masterminds.

The move comes just 10 days after Rana indicted seven Lashkar masterminds, including Lakhvi and Zarar Shah for their role in the Mumbai attacks.

And now if Rana quits, it will be a big setback to the 26/11 trial in Pakistan throwing off track the already delayed process of justice.

Sources told Headlines Today that Rana was under tremendous pressure from the Pakistani government, the Lashkar and the lawyer of the seven 26/11 accused. The lawyers of the 26/11 masterminds were also unhappy about the trial being conducted in camera.

Rana who has been conducting the trial in-camera within the high-security Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi feels his position is being made vulnerable and he had no option but to quit.