The staccato bursts of gunfire, smoke plumes billowing out of the iconic Taj Mahal hotel, bullet-riddled bodies at local hospitals and cries of the victims' kin still flash through Vijay Vaidyas mind.

Ten years after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, which claimed 166 lives and left over 300 injured, the 78-year-old senior journalist recalls the stories of valour by security personnel and the resilience shown by Mumbaikars.

Ten terrorists, armed with automatic weapons and grenades, went about firing indiscriminately, carrying out bomb explosions and holding innocents hostage as a fightback by security forces continued for the next 60 hours.

Vaidya, who lives in north Mumbai suburb Borivali, said he was at his home when he learnt about the terror attack. He rang up then Opposition leader in State Assembly and present Environment Minister Ramdas Kadam and together they headed t south Mumbai from Kadams Kandivli residence.

Vaidya said they saw a taxi damaged in a blast in Vile Parle. They headed towards the GT Hospital in south Mumbai, where bodies of policemen killed in the attack were kept.

The duo was joined by BJP leader and now Maharashtra Education Minister Vinod Tawde and proceeded towards the Gateway of India, near the Taj hotel.

"All the street lights there were off. The Taj was engulfed by fire. Police had cordoned off the area. The injured in the hotel attack were being taken to Byculla-based JJ Hospital," Vaidya recalled.

From the Gateway, the trio moved towards Nariman House in Colaba, where terrorists were suspected to have holed up.

The scene at the JJ Hospital was heart-wrenching with bodies of victims lying there and their kin mourning the dead, he said. Many people had queued up at the hospital to donate blood to victims, he added.

Vaidya said it was a noisy scene at their next stop, the Oberoi Hotel at the Nariman Point which was also a scene of the terror attack. The hotel premises were cordoned off for security purposes, he said.

The journalist, who also recalled the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, said 26/11 helped change the public perception about Mumbai police. "People started looking at cops as heroes for the way they battled the trained terrorists," he said.

The staccato bursts of gunfire, smoke plumes billowing out of the iconic Taj Mahal hotel, bullet-riddled bodies at local hospitals and cries of the victims' kin still flash through Vijay Vaidyas mind.

The staccato bursts of gunfire, smoke plumes billowing out of the iconic Taj Mahal hotel, bullet-riddled bodies at local hospitals and cries of the victims' kin still flash through Vijay Vaidyas mind. Ten years after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, which claimed 166 lives and left over 300 injured, the 78-year-old senior journalist recalls the stories of valour by security personnel and the resilience shown by Mumbaikars. Ten terrorists, armed with automatic weapons and grenades, went about firing indiscriminately, carrying out bomb explosions and holding innocents hostage as a fightback by security forces continued for the next 60 hours. Vaidya, who lives in north Mumbai suburb Borivali, said he was at his home when he learnt about the terror attack. He rang up then Opposition leader in State Assembly and present Environment Minister Ramdas Kadam and together they headed t south Mumbai from Kadams Kandivli residence. Vaidya said they saw a taxi damaged in a blast in Vile Parle. They headed towards the GT Hospital in south Mumbai, where bodies of policemen killed in the attack were kept. The duo was joined by BJP leader and now Maharashtra Education Minister Vinod Tawde and proceeded towards the Gateway of India, near the Taj hotel. "All the street lights there were off. The Taj was engulfed by fire. Police had cordoned off the area. The injured in the hotel attack were being taken to Byculla-based JJ Hospital," Vaidya recalled. From the Gateway, the trio moved towards Nariman House in Colaba, where terrorists were suspected to have holed up. The scene at the JJ Hospital was heart-wrenching with bodies of victims lying there and their kin mourning the dead, he said. Many people had queued up at the hospital to donate blood to victims, he added. Vaidya said it was a noisy scene at their next stop, the Oberoi Hotel at the Nariman Point which was also a scene of the terror attack. The hotel premises were cordoned off for security purposes, he said. The journalist, who also recalled the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, said 26/11 helped change the public perception about Mumbai police. "People started looking at cops as heroes for the way they battled the trained terrorists," he said.

Senior journalist still haunted by 26/11 sounds and images

The Lahore High Court Monday has summoned Nawaz Sharif on October 8 during the hearing of a petition seeking action against the deposed prime minister for claiming that those involved in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack belonged to Pakistan.

Sharif, for the first time in May, publicly acknowledged in an interview to Dawn that militant organisations are active in Pakistan and questioned the policy to allow the "non-state actors" to cross the border and "kill" people in Mumbai.

In the exclusive interview, he had also criticised the apparent delay in the conclusion of the Mumbai attack trial.

The Lahore High Court's three-member bench headed by Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi also issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Dawn journalist Cyril Almeida and ordered placing his name on the Exit Control List.

"Justice Naqvi expressed anger over non-appearance of Almeida in the court, directing the Deputy Inspector General of the Police Punjab to present him in the court on next hearing (October 8)," a court official told reporters.

The judge, before summoning Sharif on October 8, also inquired from Sharif's counsel Advocate Naseer Bhutta as why his client did not appear before the court on Monday.

Advocate Bhutta said Sharif would appear in the next hearing as he was mourning the death of his wife Begum Kulsoom Nawaz. She died of throat cancer on September 11 in London.

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, however, appeared before the court.

Petitioner Amina Malik said Sharif, who was disqualified by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case in July 2017 and subsequently jailed for 10 years in Avenfield corruption case, in an interview to Dawn made the remarks that those involved in the Mumbai attack case actually belonged to Pakistan, thus he committed treason.

The petitioner said the "anti-state" statement of Sharif&nbsp;a three-time prime minister could be used against Pakistan by its enemies.

She said a meeting of the National Security Council was held to discuss the 'misleading' statement of the disqualified premier and later then prime minister Abbasi met Sharif and conveyed to him the concerns of the military leadership on his statement.

"The act of Abbasi was also a clear violation of his oath as he was bound not to allow his personal interest to influence his official conduct," the petitioner said.

The court adjourned the hearing till October 8.

Sharif, 68, resigned as Pakistan prime minister last year after the Supreme Court disqualified him from holding public office and ruled that graft cases be filed against the beleaguered leader and his children over the Panama Papers scandal.

The Avenfield case was among the three corruption cases filed against the ex-premier by the National Accountability Bureau on the Supreme Court's orders in the Panama Papers case.

Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Mohammad Safdar were released last week following the suspension of their sentences by the Islamabad High Court in the Avenfield properties corruption case.

Some 166 people were killed in the attack carried out by 10 LeT terrorists. Nine of the attackers were killed by police while lone survivor Ajmal Kasab was caught and hanged after handed down death sentence.

The Lahore High Court Monday has summoned Nawaz Sharif on October 8 during the hearing of a petition seeking action against the deposed prime minister for claiming that those involved in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack belonged to Pakistan.

The Lahore High Court Monday has summoned Nawaz Sharif on October 8 during the hearing of a petition seeking action against the deposed prime minister for claiming that those involved in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack belonged to Pakistan. Sharif, for the first time in May, publicly acknowledged in an interview to Dawn that militant organisations are active in Pakistan and questioned the policy to allow the "non-state actors" to cross the border and "kill" people in Mumbai. In the exclusive interview, he had also criticised the apparent delay in the conclusion of the Mumbai attack trial. The Lahore High Court's three-member bench headed by Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi also issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Dawn journalist Cyril Almeida and ordered placing his name on the Exit Control List. "Justice Naqvi expressed anger over non-appearance of Almeida in the court, directing the Deputy Inspector General of the Police Punjab to present him in the court on next hearing (October 8)," a court official told reporters. The judge, before summoning Sharif on October 8, also inquired from Sharif's counsel Advocate Naseer Bhutta as why his client did not appear before the court on Monday. Advocate Bhutta said Sharif would appear in the next hearing as he was mourning the death of his wife Begum Kulsoom Nawaz. She died of throat cancer on September 11 in London. Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, however, appeared before the court. Petitioner Amina Malik said Sharif, who was disqualified by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case in July 2017 and subsequently jailed for 10 years in Avenfield corruption case, in an interview to Dawn made the remarks that those involved in the Mumbai attack case actually belonged to Pakistan, thus he committed treason. The petitioner said the "anti-state" statement of Sharif a three-time prime minister could be used against Pakistan by its enemies. She said a meeting of the National Security Council was held to discuss the 'misleading' statement of the disqualified premier and later then prime minister Abbasi met Sharif and conveyed to him the concerns of the military leadership on his statement. "The act of Abbasi was also a clear violation of his oath as he was bound not to allow his personal interest to influence his official conduct," the petitioner said. The court adjourned the hearing till October 8. Sharif, 68, resigned as Pakistan prime minister last year after the Supreme Court disqualified him from holding public office and ruled that graft cases be filed against the beleaguered leader and his children over the Panama Papers scandal. The Avenfield case was among the three corruption cases filed against the ex-premier by the National Accountability Bureau on the Supreme Court's orders in the Panama Papers case. Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Mohammad Safdar were released last week following the suspension of their sentences by the Islamabad High Court in the Avenfield properties corruption case. Some 166 people were killed in the attack carried out by 10 LeT terrorists. Nine of the attackers were killed by police while lone survivor Ajmal Kasab was caught and hanged after handed down death sentence.

Pakistan court summons Nawaz Sharif in treason case over Mumbai attack remarks

Pakistan's former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Sunday said the "uncooperative attitude" and "stubbornness" of the Indian government has been the biggest obstacle in the Mumbai terror attacks trial reaching a conclusion, news agency PTI reported quoting a media report.&nbsp

Nisar's comments came in the wake of a statement by ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif who questioned Pakistan's policy to allow the "non-state actors" to cross the border and "kill" people in 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

In an interview with the Dawn, Sharif who has been disqualified to hold public office for life by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case, criticised the delay in the conclusion of the Mumbai attacks trial.

Without naming Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed and Maulana Masood Azhar's militant organisations, Jamaat-ud-Dawah and Jaish-e-Mohammad, Sharif said: Militant organisations are active in Pakistan. Call them non-state actors, should we allow them to cross the border and kill over 150 people in Mumbai.&nbspExplain it to me. Why can't we complete the trial."

Reacting to Sharif's remarks, Nisar, under whose watch the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) was investigating the Mumbai attacks, said the Indian government was to blame for the hold-up in the Mumbai attacks trial, PTI reported quoting Pakistan newspaper Dawn.

"I say with full responsibility that the delay and slow pace of the Mumbai attacks-related case in Pakistan was not Pakistan's doing but was a result of non-cooperation and stubbornness by India," said the disgruntled PML-N member.

He said since the attack took place in the Indian financial capital, it was the Indian government which possessed "90 per cent of the evidence and facts" of the incident.

"Despite repeated efforts, India refused to share those facts and evidence with FIA and the investigative committee formed by Pakistani courts," he claimed.

He said, "There was no bigger evidence of the Indian government's lack of interest in taking the case to its end than its refusal to allow FIA to question the only living proof of the attacks: Ajmal Kasab."

"Kasab was hanged in such haste so that the Mumbai attacks could be used as a tool for Pakistan bashing across the world on political basis," he said.

He claimed that although Pakistan had cooperated with the Indian government for information-sharing regarding every terrorist incident, India had not reciprocated for incidents taking place inside Pakistan.

The Mumbai attack case has entered into the 10th year but none of its suspects in Pakistan has been punished yet, showing that the case had never been in the priority list of Islamabad that appears to be keen to put it under the carpet.

A number of Pakistani witnesses both official and private testified and provided evidence against the seven accused, but the Pakistani authorities have been insisting on sending Indian witnesses for reaching a verdict in the case.

Some 166 people were killed in the attack carried out by 10 LeT men. Nine of the attackers were killed by police while lone survivor Kasab was caught and hanged after handed down death sentence.&nbsp

(With inputs from PTI) 
&nbsp

Nisar's comments came in the wake of a statement by ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif who questioned Pakistan's policy to allow the "non-state actors" to cross the border and "kill" people in 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Pakistan's former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Sunday said the "uncooperative attitude" and "stubbornness" of the Indian government has been the biggest obstacle in the Mumbai terror attacks trial reaching a conclusion, news agency PTI reported quoting a media report. Nisar's comments came in the wake of a statement by ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif who questioned Pakistan's policy to allow the "non-state actors" to cross the border and "kill" people in 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. In an interview with the Dawn, Sharif who has been disqualified to hold public office for life by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case, criticised the delay in the conclusion of the Mumbai attacks trial. Without naming Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed and Maulana Masood Azhar's militant organisations, Jamaat-ud-Dawah and Jaish-e-Mohammad, Sharif said: Militant organisations are active in Pakistan. Call them non-state actors, should we allow them to cross the border and kill over 150 people in Mumbai.&nbspExplain it to me. Why can't we complete the trial." Reacting to Sharif's remarks, Nisar, under whose watch the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) was investigating the Mumbai attacks, said the Indian government was to blame for the hold-up in the Mumbai attacks trial, PTI reported quoting Pakistan newspaper Dawn. "I say with full responsibility that the delay and slow pace of the Mumbai attacks-related case in Pakistan was not Pakistan's doing but was a result of non-cooperation and stubbornness by India," said the disgruntled PML-N member. He said since the attack took place in the Indian financial capital, it was the Indian government which possessed "90 per cent of the evidence and facts" of the incident. "Despite repeated efforts, India refused to share those facts and evidence with FIA and the investigative committee formed by Pakistani courts," he claimed. He said, "There was no bigger evidence of the Indian government's lack of interest in taking the case to its end than its refusal to allow FIA to question the only living proof of the attacks: Ajmal Kasab." "Kasab was hanged in such haste so that the Mumbai attacks could be used as a tool for Pakistan bashing across the world on political basis," he said. He claimed that although Pakistan had cooperated with the Indian government for information-sharing regarding every terrorist incident, India had not reciprocated for incidents taking place inside Pakistan. The Mumbai attack case has entered into the 10th year but none of its suspects in Pakistan has been punished yet, showing that the case had never been in the priority list of Islamabad that appears to be keen to put it under the carpet. A number of Pakistani witnesses both official and private testified and provided evidence against the seven accused, but the Pakistani authorities have been insisting on sending Indian witnesses for reaching a verdict in the case. Some 166 people were killed in the attack carried out by 10 LeT men. Nine of the attackers were killed by police while lone survivor Kasab was caught and hanged after handed down death sentence. (With inputs from PTI)

India's 'uncooperative' attitude, 'stubbornness' delaying Mumbai attacks trial: Pakistan ex-minister

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Senior journalist still haunted by 26/11 sounds and images

Pakistan court summons Nawaz Sharif in treason case over Mumbai attack remarks

India's 'uncooperative' attitude, 'stubbornness' delaying Mumbai attacks trial: Pakistan ex-minister