Pakistan’s Top Brass Directed Pahalgam Terror Attack, Officials Allege

On April 22, 2025, a deadly terrorist attack in Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, claimed the lives of 26 civilians, including women and children. Indian authorities have attributed the massacre to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), allegedly operating with the tacit approval of Pakistan’s security establishment.

According to Indian security sources cited by the Times of India, the attack was meticulously planned and executed by Pakistani terrorists, reportedly led by Sajid Jutt, an LeT commander. Another key figure, identified as Sulaiman, is suspected to be a former Pakistani special forces commando. Investigators from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) confirmed that all three attackers were Pakistani nationals, ruling out initial suspicions of local involvement. Two locals, Parvaiz and Bashir Ahmad Jothar, were arrested for providing shelter and food to the attackers. However, NIA reports suggest they were unaware of the full scope of the plot.

The NIA has named Sheikh Sajjad Gul, also known as Saifullah Kasuri, a senior LeT commander and leader of its proxy group The Resistance Front (TRF), as the attack’s mastermind. He is believed to be operating out of Rawalpindi under ISI protection.

Adil Raja, a former major in the Pakistan Army, made controversial claims on India TV, alleging that Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir, ISI Director General Lieutenant General Mohammad Asim Malik, and intelligence officer Brigadier Mohammad Shahab Aslam were involved in planning the attack. These claims, however, remain unverified and lack independent corroboration.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack as “unfortunate” but rejected Indian accusations. Instead, he accused India of using the incident to escalate regional tensions, a stance that has drawn criticism from Indian officials and analysts, who view it as evasive and dismissive of cross-border terrorism concerns.

The attack occurred during the tourist season in the picturesque Baisaran Valley, shocking the nation and intensifying India–Pakistan tensions. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, targeting multiple terror infrastructure sites across Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. According to Indian defense officials, the operation eliminated more than 100 militants and destroyed key training facilities.

Observers argue that Pakistan’s continued tolerance of LeT and its proxies, such as TRF, signals complicity or at least state negligence. LeT commander Saifullah Kasuri was reportedly seen at a public rally days after the attack, further fueling accusations of Pakistan’s inaction. A social media commentators stated, “Pakistan’s leadership shields terrorists while preaching peace.”

The international community, including the United Nations and BRICS, condemned the Pahalgam massacre. Still, Indian conservatives and analysts have called for stronger diplomatic and economic pressure on Islamabad to dismantle terror networks operating from its soil.

As India strengthens its counterterrorism measures, the Pahalgam attack stands as a grim reminder of the persistent threat of cross-border terrorism and the urgent need for global accountability mechanisms to address state-supported extremism.