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Karachi (ANTARA News/AFP) - Pakistani authorities have released an alleged Al-Qaeda-linked militant who had been held over a bombing at Benazir Bhutto`s homecoming parade here which killed 139 people, police said Monday.

Qari Saifullah Akhtar, who had been accused by the former premier of plotting against her in a book published after her assassination in December, was freed last week, Inspector General of Prisons Yameen Khan told AFP.

"We released him on Friday after the expiry of his detention period," he said.

Akhtar`s lawyer Hashmat Habib said he was freed because of a lack of evidence. "He is a free person. There is no case against him anywhere in Pakistan," Habib said.

Akhtar has now returned to his home in the eastern city of Lahore, he said, adding that the authorities "facilitated" his return.

Akhtar was arrested in February in connection with a deadly double suicide attack in the southern city of Karachi in October that struck a rally to mark Bhutto`s homecoming from eight years in exile.

Two-time premier Bhutto was unharmed in that attack, but was killed two months later at an election rally in the northern garrison city of Rawalpindi.

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