Background: Attack on India’s parliament

Five militants of Jaish-e-Mohammed stormed the heavily guarded parliament complex in New Delhi on December 13, 2001.

NEW DELHI: Five militants of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) stormed the heavily guarded parliament complex in New Delhi on December 13, 2001, armed with grenades, guns and explosives, but security forces killed them before they could enter the main chamber.

The attack resulted in nine casualties, including five Delhi Police personnel, one female personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and two members of parliament security. A journalist present outside the parliament was injured in the crossfire and succumbed to his injuries later.

The next day, India blamed the attack, which had targeted the prime minister, interior minister and legislators of the country, on militants backed by Pakistan.

Pakistan denied any involvement and condemned the attack. Nearly a million soldiers were mobilised on both sides of the border and fears of war only dissipated months later in June 2002.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 10^th, 2013.