Pakistan fires 26/11 prosecutor

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday fired the special public prosecutor in the Mumbai terror attack case, more than a week after the senior lawyer sparked a controversy claiming that Islamabad had formally requested India to hand over Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone terrorist arrested during the three-day terror siege.

Apart from his sacking as the special public prosecutor, Sardar Mohammad Ghazi was removed from the post of deputy attorney general by Zardari, according to an official notification quoted by Dawn News channel.

Ghazi went to London on a private visit, shortly after his controversial remarks on Kasab, which he made on February 18.

He had said that Kasab was the 'prime suspect' and it would be difficult to prosecute the other accused arrested in Pakistan if he was not handed over by India. His comments were denied hours later by the Pakistan Foreign Office, which said no formal request had been made to India for Kasab's custody.

Ghazi made the comments shortly after he was named the special public prosecutor in the case. Earlier, reports had suggested that he would be replaced due to the controversy over his remarks.

No new official was appointed to the post of special public prosecutor. Zardari also appointed seven new deputy attorney generals and four standing government counsel.

Pakistani authorities have detained six suspects -- including top Lashker-e-Tayiba operatives Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, Zarar Shah and Hamad Amin Sadiq -- in connection with the Mumbai attacks. They have also identified two more suspects, who are still at large.