Pahalgam terrorists were from Pakistan: Govt IDs, biometric data point towards their Pakistan links
PTC Web Desk: Nearly three months after the brutal massacre in Pahalgam that left 26 civilians dead, Indian security forces have successfully neutralised the three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists responsible for the attack. The trio, identified as Pakistani nationals Suleman Shah alias Faizal Jatt, Abu Hamza alias "Afghani," and Yasir alias "Jibran," were killed in Operation Mahadev on July 28 in the Dachigam-Harwan forest belt near Srinagar.
Investigations conducted by Indian intelligence agencies and forensic experts have now conclusively established their direct involvement in the April 22 Baisaran Valley massacre. According to the detailed report, all three terrorists were senior LeT operatives who infiltrated into Indian territory via the Gurez sector in May 2022.
LeT commanders with Pakistani identity confirmed
Among the most compelling evidence were laminated voter ID slips issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan, found in the possession of Suleman Shah and Abu Hamza. The slips bore serial numbers linked to voter rolls in Lahore (NA-125) and Gujranwala (NA-79), firmly establishing their Pakistani origin.
Additionally, a memory card retrieved from a damaged satellite phone contained biometric data from Pakistan’s NADRA (National Database and Registration Authority), including fingerprints, facial recognition templates, and detailed family trees of all three terrorists. Their registered addresses were traced to Changa Manga in Kasur district and Koiyan village near Rawalakot in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Further, their belongings included chocolate wrappers of Karachi-based brands ‘Candyland’ and ‘Chocomax.’ Lot numbers on the wrappers matched a consignment sent to Muzaffarabad in May 2024, strengthening the link to their Pakistani handlers.
Timeline of the attack and infiltration
The infiltration route, tracked through radio intercepts and GPS data, revealed that the terrorists crossed into Indian territory over two years ago. On April 21, 2025, a day before the attack, the trio took shelter in a seasonal hut (locally known as dhok) in Hill Park, about 2 km from Baisaran Valley. Two local residents, Parvaiz and Bashir Ahmad Jothar, have confessed to providing them overnight shelter and food.
The next morning, on April 22, the terrorists moved into the Baisaran meadow and launched an unprovoked attack on tourists at 2.30 pm. Following the massacre, they fled northeast toward the Dachigam forest, evading security forces for over three months.
Ballistic and DNA evidence seals case
Ballistic examination by forensic experts revealed that the 7.62x39 mm shell casings collected at the Pahalgam attack site matched striation marks on the three AK-103 rifles recovered from the terrorists during the Dachigam encounter. Moreover, a torn blood-stained shirt found at the Baisaran site yielded a mitochondrial DNA profile identical to that of the three slain terrorists.
GPS coordinates from Suleman Shah's Garmin device aligned perfectly with eyewitness accounts of the firing locations in Baisaran, leaving no doubt of their involvement.
Command chain traced to Pakistan
Intercepted communications and voice samples from the recovered satellite phone confirmed that the operation was directed from across the border. Sajid Saifullah Jatt, a senior LeT commander based in Changa Manga, Lahore, was identified as the mastermind behind the south-Kashmir operations. His voice matched earlier intercepts and gave operational instructions to the Pahalgam attackers.
Additionally, Rizwan Anees, the LeT chief in Rawalakot, was spotted on July 29 conducting Ghaibana Namaz (funeral prayer in absentia) for the trio in PoK. Video footage of the event has been included in the dossier compiled by Indian intelligence agencies.
Initial sketches misleading
Early sketches released by the Jammu and Kashmir Police in April included names like Hashim Musa, Talha, and Adil Hussain Thoker. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) later clarified that those visuals were based on an unrelated December 2024 case and had no link to the Pahalgam attackers.
- With inputs from agencies
