Islamabad, Jan 6: A Pakistani anti-terrorist court on Wednesday refused to acquit seven suspects acused by India of involvement in the deadly Mumbai terror attacks in 2008.

The seven suspects including Hamad Ameen , Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, Mazhar Iqbal, Omar Abdul Wajid alias Zarar Shah , Shahid Jamil Riaz , Jamil ahmad and Muhammad Younis Anjum have been facing trial since early last year after they were arrested by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in countrywide raids over offices of Jamat-ud-Dawa, considered an off-shoot of the banned Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, founded by Hafiz Mohammad Saeed .

'The seven men including Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi had challenged validity of evidence that the prosecution has presented in the court,' a defence counsel told The Telegraph on condition of anonymity because he was not supposed to talk to media about the trial, which is taking place behind closed doors at Adiayla prison in the garrison town of Rawalpindi .

He said that all the men had contended that the state evidence had no validity in the eyes of law. However, the court did not accept their plea and dismissed their applications for acquittal.

'The court will now hear the case on January 16,' the lawyer added.

Through its last dossier, Pakistan had asked India to provide more evidence that could be presented in the court. This included among other statements of forensic experts and details about phones, mobiles and satellites establishing connection of terrorists with militants.

According to Pakistani investigations, Mazhar Iqbal was the handler while Zarar Shah alias Abdul Wajid was facilitator and expert of computer networks.

Hamad Ameen Sadiq facilitated funds and provided hideouts to the attackers and Shahid Jamil .trained crew member of 'Al-Hussaini' and 'Al-Fouz', which took the attackers to Mumbai.

India blamed the deadly attacks on Pakistan based militant outfit, Lashkar-e-Taiba and suspended the slow-moving process which the two South Asian nations had launched in February 2004. New Delhi also repeatedly asked Pakistan to hand over Hafiz Mohammad Saeed , founder of LeT and now head of a charity, Jamatud Dawa, claiming that he masterminded the carnage.

Premier Manmohand Singh has already linked resumption of talks with Islamabad with dismantling of terrorist infrastructure and concrete steps to bring culprits behind Mumbai raids to justice.