NIA Probe Points To Pak Role In Attack

New Delhi:A preliminary NIA probe into the Pahalgam terror attack has revealed that the conspiracy was orchestrated by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in concert with its proxy, Lashkar-e-Tayyaba.

Technical surveillance detected three satellite phones in the lead-up to the attack, and the agency is analysing signals obtained by sister agencies. The NIA also created a 3D map of Pahalgam to track the likely movement of the five-member terror module that killed 26 people — mostly tourists — by evaluating dumped data from local mobile towers.

Questioning of detained over-ground workers indicated that the gang relied on “Ultra” brand foreign communication devices to evade detection. Investigators say there is corroborative material linking the ISI directly to Lashkar-e-Tayyaba. The assault, described as one of the most devastating civilian attacks since Mumbai’s 26/11 siege, was planned within LeT’s leadership circle under strategic direction from ISI operatives and finalised at the terror group’s headquarters.

Execution of the plot was entrusted to four terrorists, two of whom — Hashmi Musa (alias Suleman), a former SSG commando, and Ali Bhai (alias Talha Bhai)—have been identified as Pakistani nationals. The attackers maintained regular contact with handlers across the border, who provided instructions on movement, timing, and tactics.

According to agency inputs, the terrorists infiltrated Indian territory weeks in advance, supported by a domestic network of over-ground workers (OGWs). These local collaborators provided shelter, scouted the area, and helped navigate the difficult terrain of south Kashmir.

The NIA’s comprehensive forensic investigation has recovered over 40 bullet cartridges from the scene, which are currently undergoing ballistic analysis. To date, more than 2,800 individuals — including suspects—have been questioned; around 150 remain in custody, among them suspected OGWs and persons linked to banned organisations such as Jamaat-e-Islami and Hurriyat Conference factions.

Multiple raids were conducted across Kupwara, Pulwama, Sopore, Anantnag, and Baramulla districts. Investigators searched the Srinagar residence of Mushtaq Ahmad Zargar—implicated in the 1999 IC-814 hijacking and designated under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in 2023. Surveillance footage from transit points and public areas around Pahalgam has been reviewed, and data from nearby mobile towers and checkpoints are being scrutinised to identify movement patterns and corroborate witness accounts.

Witnesses — including pony handlers, food-stall vendors, and victims’ families — reported that the assailants were equipped with body-mounted cameras, apparently to record the carnage for propaganda and radicalisation efforts. The probe has also revealed links between the Pahalgam attack and a 2024 strike near the Z-Morh tunnel in Sonamarg, where seven people were killed. The same LeT-backed unit is suspected in both incidents; one key figure, Junaid Ahmed Bhatt, was killed in December 2024, while Musa’s role has emerged in both cases.

Despite an ongoing manhunt by security forces and local police, the perpetrators remain at large, likely hiding in the dense forests of Pahalgam’s upper reaches. Intelligence inputs suggest they are operating in small cells, with adequate food supplies and advanced encrypted communication devices that do not rely on SIM cards or leave electronic signatures.