Parliament Attack 2001: India Almost Went On War With Pakistan In Retaliation

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The Logical Indian Crew

Parliament Attack 2001: India 'Almost' Went On War With Pakistan In Retaliation

On December 13, 2001, shook India and the world alike. The preparators belonged to two Pakistan-raised terrorist organisations. Six Delhi Police Personnel, Two Parliament Security Persons and a gardener were killed in the attack.

The attack on the Indian Parliament on December 13, 2001, left the entire nation aghast. Two Pakistan-based groups, namely Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), were responsible for the horrific attack that claimed the lives of six Delhi Police personnel, two Parliament Security personnel and a gardener. The winter session of the Parliament was going on; therefore, several people from the media were present on the premises during the attack. Thus, the entire gunfight was broadcast live on the news channels.

How Did India 'Almost' Go On A War?

While all the five terrorists were killed and several others jailed for facilitating the act, the attack created massive unrest among Indians. The Indo-Pak standoff on the border resulted from the Parliament attack of 2001, and both countries started amassing thousands of troops in what seemed like a war-like situation. While Pakistan denied having funded LeT and JeM, the Western Media speculated the possibility of an all-out nuclear war between the two countries.

India initiated a firm diplomatic answer by recalling the Indian High Commissioner and banning civilian flights from Pakistan. At the same time, Pakistan quickly started diplomatic talks with then US President George W Bush and pushed them to engage with India to reduce tensions. In early January 2002, British Prime Minister Tony Blair arrived in India with the message of having pressurized Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf. Moreover, the US declared LeT and JeM as foreign terrorist groups.

Ban On Jihadi Organizations By Pervez Musharraf

On January 12, Pervez Musharraf condemned the Parliament attacks on India and, for once, referred to it as a terrorist attack. Taking the notch higher, Musharraf also compared the attack on the Indian Parliament with the 9/11 attacks on the US. Pakistan conceded to India's demands of banning known terrorist organizations within the country and regulation for organizing Madrasas. Musharraf announced a formal ban on five jihadi organizations, including Jaish-e-Muhammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Even though Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee hardly believed his Pakistani counterparts pledges, he withdrew troops from the borders and nullified the attack planned on January 14.

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