[DAWN] The Islamabad High Court's (IHC) decision to quash Mumbai attack accused Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi's detention under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) on Friday led to a diplomatic spat between Pakistain and India with both countries summoning each other's diplomats.Pakistain's High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit was first summoned to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs where he was conveyed Delhi's concerns over High Court's decision to set Mumbai accused Lakhvi free.
Lakhvi has already been granted bail in the Mumbai attack case. He was currently being detained under the MPO, a law that the government has often used to detain people suspected of posing a threat or causing unrest, for a specified period after overriding standard legal procedures and due process of law.
Mr Basit was told that the Indian government expected Pakistain to take all legal measures to prevent Lakhvi's release.
In response to Mr Basit's summoning in Delhi, Indian deputy high commissioner was summoned to the Foreign Office to protest the hype being created by India over the IHC decision.
The Foreign Office, however, did not make a formal demarche.
While protesting India's reaction over court orders, Director General (South Asia) Nafees Zakaria reiterated Pakistain's commitment to take the Mumbai case to its logical conclusion, but reminded the Indian diplomat that legal process would take its own course.
The Indian reaction was viewed by the Foreign Office as "irrational" and "immature", a source said.
The Indian diplomat was assured that IHC's decision to cancel Lakhvi's detention orders would not impact the Mumbai attack trial being conducted by an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi.