NIA Confirms Pakistani Nationals Involved in Pahalgam Attack

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has determined that the three terrorists responsible for the April 22 attack in Pahalgam were Pakistani nationals associated with the banned group Lashkar-e-Taiba. This conclusion comes in the wake of the arrest of two local residents from Kashmir who are accused of providing assistance to the assailants, including food and shelter.

Authorities revealed that the terrorists had approached the residences of Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar and Bashir Ahmad Jothar in Pahalgam prior to the attack and had been accommodated at a seasonal hut in Hill Park. An official involved in the investigation noted, “They arrived on the evening of April 20, requested food, offered some money, and cautioned the hosts against notifying anyone.” The NIA has charged the two men under Section 19 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

This development contrasts with the preliminary accounts from the Jammu and Kashmir Police, who had disseminated sketches of three suspects—identifying two as Pakistani nationals and one as a local individual. However, sources from the NIA now affirm that those depicted in the sketches were incorrectly identified and not implicated in the Pahalgam incident.

Investigators suspect that one of the attackers was Suleiman Shah, who has previously been connected to the murder of seven tunnel construction workers in October 2024. His involvement has also been noted in other significant cases, such as assaults on Army personnel in Kulgam and Jammu's Poonch district.

Throughout the investigation, over 200 people, including pony operators, shopkeepers, and photographers, were interrogated. Local witnesses helped confirm the identities of the attackers after central agencies presented them with unreleased photos retrieved from the phone of a deceased militant.

The NIA is currently comparing ballistic evidence from prior incidents to develop a detailed case against the attackers. The agency highlighted that its findings underscore the role of cross-border terrorism in Kashmir and reveal Pakistan's ongoing utilization of non-state actors to disrupt the region's stability.