Mumbai, Nov 25: It’s 17 long years since Pakistani Ajmal Kasab and his terrorist accomplices executed a bloodbath in Mumbai, killing 175 persons and injuring 300 others. There was no mistaking that it was an operation masterminded by the ‘S’ branch of Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), which wanted to spread its vicious war away from the Kashmir theatre.

The 69-page dossier compiled by the Indian security establishment gives massive proof of the ISI’s active role through its proxy, the Lashkar-e-Taiba, which in turn was closely aligned with the Al Qaeda of Osama Bin Laden.

British investigative journalists Cathy Scott-Clark and Adrian Levy aver in their book The Exile that “In 2008, according to two former aides to the Lashkar-e-Taiba leader Hafiz Saeed, Osama had travelled to Manshera (a city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) to attend an extraordinary meeting for the Mumbai operation of November 26, 2008… It had been facilitated by Lashkar, overseen by the ISI’s S-wing and sponsored by Al Qaeda.”

Apparently, documents post the U.S. commando operation against Osama revealed that Hafiz Saeed had been in close touch with Osama almost till the latter’s death.

On August 3, 2015, former chief of the Pakistani Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Tariq Khosa admitted in an op-ed piece in Karachi’s Dawn newspaper that the ten terrorists had been members of the Lashkar and that there was forensic evidence that they had received training in a camp situated in Sindh province.

He further revealed that the control room in Karachi from where the Lashkar directed the Mumbai operation and the ship which transported the killers to Mumbai had been seized.

However, till date Pakistan has not taken any substantial action against the Lashkar and its handlers Major Iqbal and Sajid Majeed and others who are described by Islamabad as “non-state actors” but who are very much trained, sponsored and deputed to execute the diabolic attack on 26/11.

This brings us to the question of whether the extremely well-planned operation could have been executed by Kasab and Co without support from within Mumbai. This angle, sadly, has not been explored to the fullest extent. Sources said the Dawood Ibrahim gang, which had played an active role in the 1993 serial bombing of Mumbai, worked in close tandem with the Lashkar in executing the 2008 operation.

Dawood Ibrahim’s men, who are active in the docks conducting smuggling of narcotics, diesel and other items, had guided Kasab and his associates in avoiding Indian Coast Guard ships patrolling the coast off Mumbai and landing at a precise point in the fishermen’s colony in front of Badhwar Park in Colaba. And from then on, local operatives led the terrorists to Café Leopold, Chabad House, The Taj, CST railway station and other targets.

The ease with which the terrorists were able to attack multiple targets revealed that they had received extensive local help. It is true that David Headley, an American accomplice, had conducted extensive recce of the targets. But that alone would not have been sufficient to execute the violent operation on the bloody night of 26/11.

Mumbai, Nov 26: Indian share markets opened higher on Wednesday, supported by strong global cues.

The Sensex rose 260 points, or 0.31 per cent, to 84,847, while the Nifty gained 88 points, or 0.34 per cent, to trade at 25,973 during early trading session.

“The Nifty continues to remain range-bound, with resistance placed around 26,000–26,050 and near-term support at 25,750–25,800 ; a zone that may attract accumulation if tested,” analysts said.

“Fresh long positions can be considered once the Nifty convincingly crosses 26,100–26,130, while keeping a close watch on global cues and key technical levels,” market watchers added.

Global markets have been rallying for the third straight day as investors grow optimistic about a possible US Federal Reserve rate cut in December 2025.

This positive sentiment helped lift domestic equities as well.

Several major stocks led the gains on the Sensex, including Tata Motors PV, Trent, Adani Ports, Tata Steel, L&T, Ultratech Cement, Infosys, Maruti Suzuki, ICICI Bank and Tech Mahindra.

On the other hand, Bharti Airtel, Hindustan Unilever, and TCS were the only stocks that declined in early trade.

Broader markets also edged higher. The Nifty MidCap index climbed 0.53 per cent, while the Nifty SmallCap index advanced 0.79 per cent — showing strong interest from investors across the board.

Among sectors, metals were leading the market rally. The Nifty Metal index jumped 1.7 per cent.

PSU banks, IT, financial services, and private banks also saw gains of up to 0.8 per cent, contributing to the overall positive market mood.

Analysts said that the best strategy for retail investors is to refrain from trading and slowly accumulate fairy-valued high quality growth stocks which will be available at attractive valuations due to heightened volatility.

Mumbai: began its Wednesday under a sheet of haze, with several pockets of the city recording severe levels of air pollution even as the weather dashboard displayed a bright, sunny icon. The real-time air quality readings at 8 am placed the AQI at 246, marking a Severe category that raises health concerns for vulnerable residents.

As per AQI.in, the concentration of PM10 hovered around 228 micrograms per cubic metre, while PM2.5 was recorded at 171 micrograms per cubic metre, far exceeding the safe thresholds. Pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide also displayed elevated readings, with CO touching 1000 ppb in the morning update. These numbers underline how particulate matter continues to dominate the pollution mix in Mumbai’s air.

Interestingly, the weather remained largely clear, with cloud cover at zero per cent and temperatures settling at 26 degrees Celsius around 8 am. The humidity level stood at 79 per cent, creating a dense, mist-like haze that reduced visibility to 2.1 kilometres in several parts of Mumbai.

Despite the haze, wind speeds were modest at 10 kilometres per hour, not strong enough to disperse the suspended pollutants. The meteorological forecast for the day showed temperatures likely rising to 29 degrees Celsius, with no precipitation expected.

With the onset of cooler days, Mumbai’s pollution levels traditionally rise as the atmosphere traps dust, vehicular emissions and industrial pollutants closer to the ground. Environmental experts say the lack of strong winds allows fine particulate matter to settle over the skyline, creating prolonged bouts of haze even when the sun is out.

Health advisories recommend wearing protective masks, limiting strenuous outdoor exercise and keeping children and elderly individuals indoors during peak pollution hours.

For now, the haze continues to hang over the city, offering a stark reminder that Mumbai’s winter mornings are no longer just cool but increasingly toxic.