The Mumbai Terror Attack and its Aftermath

It is the evening of the 26th November, when the first bullets are fired by the terrorists near the CST at Mumbai. That was the beginning of the most brazen and a prolonged terror strike in the financial capital of India, which shook the entire country and stirred the conscience of the civilised world. Let us now examine, what has happened during the last one month – in India, Pakistan and the world at large? What had been the impact, apart from the rabble rousing that we have witnessed of late in the sub-continent? What are the tangible steps the country has taken so far? Or is it going to be the words alone, we are so used to? Here is a brief account of all that took place within these 30 days.

The aftermath of terror – that lasted for almost 60 hours and cost the country heavily in terms of men and materials – saw a flurry of activities over the next 30 days. It had administrative, political and military ratifications in India and Pakistan, and resulted in hectic diplomacy and intense consultations amongst the world leaders with even the United Nations Security Council had to step in at the request of India.

The political fall-out in the wake of the recent terror attack has been distinct enough. It saw the resignation of both, the Chief Minister and the Home Minister of Maharashtra. The Home Minister at the Centre too had to resign. In the home front, the Government came out with a bill on formation of National Investigative Agency (NIA) on the line of FBI and another bill named ‘the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill’ for tougher law on terrorism.


The involvement of Pakistan-based terrorists was evident right from the beginning. The arrest of the lone terrorist – Mohammad Ajmal Kasab – proved an important piece of evidence of the role Pakistan played in the ghastly act. The Indian Prime Minister talked to his counterpart towards the end of the last month with a request to send the Chief of Inter State Intelligence (ISI) Lt General Ahmed Shuja Pasha for assisting in the investigation. Mr Gilani, the Pakistan Prime Minister, promptly gave his assent. The next day, however, Pakistan refused to send the ISI Chief, and offered to send a representative instead. This was a major u-turn by Pakistan. Pakistan’s non-cooperative approach has not been missed by the international community as well. There has however been a tremendous support for India’s position by world leaders.


India made a sort of diplomatic coup, and got world-wide support for the position it took. In the international arena, the US President endorsed India’s point of view. The President-elect, Barak Obama, declared in early December that India does ‘have a right to protect itself’. The US Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, asked Zardani, the Pakistan President, quite bluntly to act tough. Admiral Mike Mullen, the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff reportedly told Islamabad on the 4th December that Washington got enough evidence to show a Pakistani hand in the attack. The British Prime Minister, Mr Brown too advised Pakistan to act fast. The US reportedly asked Pakistan to crack down on the Lashkar-eTayyaba and arrest its chief Hafeez Mohammed Sayeed. Further, the European Parliament of 27-nation grouping found “confirmed evidence” of Pakistan hosting several terrorist groups like Lashkare-Tayyaba and “criminal mastermind” Dawood Ibrahim and using them as “an instrument of terrorism” against India.” The Washington Post carried a report on 6th December that Pakistan had agreed to a 48-hour timetable set by India and the US to formulate a plan to take action against the Laskhar-e-Tayyaba and to arrest at least three Pakistanis who India says are linked to the attacks in Mumbai, including former ISI chief Hamid Gul. All these go to show that Pakistan has been cornered for its commissions and omissions by the world community.

As a result of diplomatic pressures on Pakistan and after the UN Security Council declared it a terrorist outfit, the government of Pakistan on the 11th December reported to have banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), the front organisation for the outlawed Lashkar-eTayyaba (LeT) blamed for the Mumbai attacks,. The Pakistan Interior Ministry Chief, Mr Rehman Malik, told reporters that “the JuD has been banned with immediate effect”. It has put JuD chief Hafiz Mohammed Saeed under house arrest and sealed offices of the group. It incidentally emerged later on that JuD has still not been formally banned.

In regard to India’s position, it claimed to have adequate proof of ISI hand in the terror-attack. Apart from the confession of the sole surviving terrorist, the recovery of the satellite phone, telephone intersects and forensic evidences collected from the spots of attacks had tell-tale evidences to support the Indian claim.

Pakistan, meanwhile, made every effort to divert the attention from the main issue. It claimed on 13th December that the Indian Air Force (IAF) had intruded into the Pakistan territory. It lodged formal complaint with the Government of India. While the IAF denied the allegation, it did raise the temper quite a bit. Pakistan tried to bring in the war-fever by moving its forces to the front as also in flying its jets close to the border. The war cries seem to have now reached a deafening height. The situation appears tense, with both India and Pakistan flexing their muscles. The Government of India however has ruled out war with Pakistan.

While there have been distinct and unprecedented diplomatic victories for India, it has gained little in tangible terms. Those accused of complicity in the terror attacks have still not been handed over to India nor are the training camps in Pakistan and Pak-Occupied Kashmir dismantled so far. It is therefore difficult to envisage how long will India has to struggle for sorting out the mess created by Pakistan in the wake of the terror strike in Mumbai.


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