Saifullah Khalid: The Mastermind Behind Pahalgam’s Deadly Terror Strike
The lethal terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, 2025, which claimed 28 lives, was orchestrated by Saifullah Khalid, a senior operative of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), according to intelligence reports . Khalid, also known as Saifullah Kasuri, is believed to be the chief planner, with suspicions also on two Rawalkot-based LeT commanders, including Abu Musa, as reported.
The Resistance Front (TRF), an LeT offshoot, claimed responsibility for the assault in Baisaran meadow, one of the deadliest in Kashmir since the 2019 Pulwama bombing. Emerging after the 2019 revocation of Article 370, TRF has been linked to attacks on civilians, including Kashmiri Pandits and migrant workers. The Ministry of Home Affairs banned TRF in January 2023 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act of 1967, designating it a proxy for LeT, infamous for the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
Khalid, LeT’s deputy chief, holds a key role in the group’s operations, including overseeing its Peshawar headquarters, as per Mint. He reportedly served on the Coordination Committee for Central Punjab Province of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), an LeT affiliate, and was identified as president of Milli Muslim League (MML) by the US Treasury in 2017. Sources indicate Khalid arrived in Kanganpur, Punjab, Pakistan, two months before the attack, near a major Pakistan Army battalion, though Mint could not verify these claims.
Preliminary investigations revealed the attackers used helmet-mounted cameras to record the assault, highlighting its calculated nature. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has deployed a senior team, led by an Inspector General, to assist local police in probing the attack.
Khalid is reportedly well-regarded by the Pakistan Army, per intelligence assessments. The attack’s timing, coinciding with US Vice President JD Vance’s visit to India, recalls past terror incidents during high-profile diplomatic visits, such as the 2002 Kaluchak attack.