What the numbers of 26/11 tell us
It's been 2,442 days since the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai began. It's been so long, we in India can no longer help the whole thing falling off our radar for most of the year.
Today, it blipped back into our frames of vision. All five Indian mainstream English TV news channels today told you that Pakistan's hand in the carnage has been nailed like never before. The nailing made possible by a 1,042-word opinion column written by a former chief of Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in a Pakistani newspaper. A column in which he made seven "damning" confirmations of Pakistan's undeniable involvement in what happened. I happen to have been one of many reporters in Mumbai who covered the terror attack over those three days in 2008. The clatter of assault rifle fire from inside the Trident Hotel, the crunching thud of grenades flung at Nariman House. I'm not so sure being there has given me - or any of the other reporters - a greater sense of the passage of time. Or a more bitter cynicism about justice ever really being served. Maybe it has. But as I absorbed the words and sentiments manifest in Tariq Khosa's column in the Dawn newspaper today, I must admit that I felt nothing. Not outrage. Not even anger. Certainly not vindication. Talk is cheap. And frankly, I have nothing to say. But given it's been 2,442 days since those attacks, let's talk numbers. And leave it at that.
Number of hours the attack lasted: 68
Number of attackers: 10
Number of attackers who were Pakistani: 10
Number of final targets chosen: 4
Total number of people the terrorists killed: 164
Number of Indian citizens killed: 136
Number of Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives in prison: 0
Number of times India has officially stated that Pakistan is not doing enough on the 26/11 trial: 23
Total number of days after 26/11 that the PMs of India and Pakistan met for the first time: 232
Number of days after 26/11 that the formal trial began in Pakistan: 311
Number of days after 26/11 that the actual terror trial began in Pakistan: 1256
Number of times journalists have been given access to trial proceedings: 0
Total number of times the PMs of India and Pakistan have met since 26/11: 9
Total number of dossiers Indian has given to Pakistan as evidence of Pakistan's hand in 26/11: 15
Total number of Pak nationals arrests in connection with 26/11: 6
Total number of Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists in jail in connection with 26/11: 0
Total number of ceasefire violations by Pakistan since 26/11 (including incidents along the International Border): 1454
Number of times Pakistan has moved resolutions against Indian since 26/11: 4
Number of days after 26/11 that Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi was arrested by Pak authorities: 11
Number of days after the Peshawar school massacre that Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi was granted bail: 2
Number of times Hafiz Muhammad Saeed has been placed under house arrest since 26/11: 3
Number of times Hafiz Muhammad Saeed has been arrested since 26/11: 0
Number of days from the time Interpol issued red corner notice on Hafiz Muhammad Saeed till the time Lahore High Court quashed all charges against him: 74
Number of recorded rallies since 26/11 where Hafiz Muhammad Saeed has warned of jihad against India: 27