Pakistan Orchestrated Pahalgam Terror Attack, Investigation Reveals

15th July 2025 at 9:37 AM

1 minute read

Security personnel inspect the site in the aftermath of an attack as food stall chairs lie empty in Pahalgam, about 90km (55 miles) from Srinagar on April 23, 2025. Indian security forces in Kashmir carried out a major manhunt on April 23, a day after gunmen opened fire on tourists killing 26 people in the region's deadliest attack on civilians since 2000. (Photo by TAUSEEF MUSTAFA / AFP)

A devastating terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 civilian lives on April 22, was masterminded by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The probe alleges that the operation was directed by Pakistan’s top political and military leadership, drawing parallels to the 2008 Mumbai attacks due to its scale and execution.

The attack, carried out by Pakistani terrorists, deliberately targeted non-local civilians, avoiding the use of local Kashmiri militants to maintain secrecy. The ISI reportedly instructed LeT commander Sajid Jutt, based in Pakistan, to deploy foreign operatives already active in Jammu and Kashmir. The assault was led by Sulaiman, a former Pakistani special forces commando who trained at LeT’s Muridke facility in Punjab, Pakistan, before infiltrating Jammu in 2022. Two other Pakistani terrorists were also involved, the report states.

Evidence from satellite phone records indicates Sulaiman was in the Tral forest on April 15, lingering near the attack site in Baisaran for nearly a week before the strike. Sulaiman was also linked to a prior attack on an Army truck in April 2023. While initial suspicions pointed to Pakistani terrorists Hashim Musa and Ali Bhai, the investigation has so far confirmed only Sulaiman’s role.

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India’s response was swift and decisive. New Delhi accused Pakistan of sponsoring cross-border terrorism, suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, and expelled Pakistani diplomats. In retaliation, India conducted precision strikes on nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stating that nearly 100 terrorists were neutralized. The attack has drawn widespread condemnation, with India, Afghanistan, Iran, and Western nations accusing Pakistan of harboring terrorists to advance its geopolitical objectives. The report underscores Pakistan’s history of supporting groups like LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed, which experts say bolsters the Pakistani military’s domestic influence.