The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has found that the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives, was orchestrated by the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) with the help of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Army. According to sources, 20 overground workers (OGWs) from the Kashmir Valley allegedly helped the attackers by providing shelter, logistical support, and reconnaissance. Two key OGWs — Nisar Ahmad and Mushtaq Hussain — already jailed for aiding previous attacks, are now being further interrogated. The attackers, reportedly Pakistani nationals, maintained regular contact with their handlers across the border for directions and execution planning.
The attackers are believed to have infiltrated weeks in advance and surveyed four locations around Pahalgam before choosing Baisaran Valley due to low security presence. Investigators recovered over 40 cartridges from the scene, which are undergoing ballistic testing, and they have conducted 3D mapping of the site. Satellite phone activity spiked around the time of the attack, with at least three devices in use, two of which have been traced. Authorities are also analysing mobile tower data and CCTV footage from checkpoints and transit areas to trace movements of suspects.
So far, more than 2,800 people have been questioned and over 150 are in custody, including suspected OGWs and individuals linked to banned organisations like Jamaat-e-Islami and Hurriyat factions. Security agencies are also probing potential links between this attack and earlier ones on Army convoys in the Rajouri-Poonch region. Meanwhile, search operations continue across the forested areas of Baisaran Valley and surrounding locations, as authorities believe the terrorists may be hiding in caves or dense terrain.
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