November 26, 2021 marks the 13th anniversary of the series of appalling terrorist attacks in Mumbai when 10 members of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a Pakistan-based jihadist group, carried out 12 coordinated attacks lasting up to ‘to four days. major locations.

As many as 166 people from 15 countries were killed in the attacks on the iconic Taj Mahal Palace hotel, Nariman House, Metro Cinema, and Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, among others.

The Bombay attacks of November 2008, also known as the 11/26 attacks, perhaps for the first time sparked widespread global condemnation on an unprecedented scale and prompted the central government to dramatically step up its counterterrorism operations and to re-examine several aspects of its already strained ties with Pakistan.

Ajmal Kasab, who was the only surviving attacker captured by the security forces, later confirmed that the assault was planned, coordinated and carried out by the LeT and other terrorist modules based in Pakistan. In testimonies collected by the country’s intelligence agencies, Kasab said all of the attackers came from Pakistan and their controllers were also operating from there.

Ten years after the bombing, former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif – in a series of sensational revelations – also indicated that Islamabad played a role in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Current evidence suggests that terrorism sponsored by the Pakistani state in the 11/26 attacks was proven during the interrogation of three terrorist men – Ajmal Kasab, David Headley and Zabiuddin Ansari.

Despite its own public recognition and the availability of all the necessary evidence, including that shared by India, Pakistan has yet to show sincerity in bringing justice to the families of the victims, even on the 13th anniversary of the attacks. from 11/26.

On November 7, a Pakistani court freed six terrorists, including those involved in the horrific attacks, flanked by Hafiz Saeed – the UN-designated terrorist who is the founder of the LeT outfit and its charity wing, the Jamaat-ud -Dawa (JuD).

Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, LeT commander and leader of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, had also been on bail since 2015 after his arrest for terrorist financing by the Counterterrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab Province .

Lakhvi, also another UN-designated international terrorist, was arrested again in Pakistan earlier this year in January, but counterterrorism observers say political interference in the country often obstructs justice.

Terrorist groups in Pakistan also continue to change names to escape scrutiny and allegations of contestation, as the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Organization has stepped up its surveillance.

Earlier in April this year, a New York-based artificial intelligence startup revealed that Pakistan had silently removed the names of nearly 4,000 terrorists from its terrorism watch list. Names removed include LeT leader and Mumbai attack mastermind Zakir ur Rehman Lakhvi and many more.

According to the International Forum for Rights and Security, in terms of international terrorism, the Bombay attack underscores the threat posed by a few well-armed and well-trained individuals who could lead an unconventional attack against unarmed civilians and a civilian population. soft target.