Indian intelligence agencies have found proof indicating Pakistan's involvement in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Digital footprints of the attackers have been traced to safehouses in Pakistan's Muzaffarabad and Karachi, senior officials probing the case revealed.
The digital footprints suggest the use of a remote control-room, similar to the one that used in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
At least 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed when terrorists opened fire at Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam town in south Kashmir's Anantnag district on Tuesday afternoon.
"Our intelligence intercepts suggest a direct link with operatives based in Pakistan. We have traced the digital footprint to some safehouses in Muzaffarabad and Karachi, which have been the key hubs for Lashkar-e-Taiba's (LeT) previous major attacks in India that are supervised by Pakistan army and the ISI from control centres," HT said citing an official.
The terrorists behind the Pahalgam attack have been identified as Adil Hussain Thoker, Hashim Musa alias Suleiman and Ali Bhai alias Talha Bhai. Anantnag police has also announced a Rs 20 lakh reward for providing information on the absconding terrorists.
There was a coordinated state-backed conspiracy to send highly skilled terrorists to India recently.
"In December 2024 and January 2025, there were alerts that Pakistan army and ISI were actively facilitating infiltration of highly skilled terrorists of LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammad from the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) into India," another official said.
As per a senior official who deals with intelligence in Kashmir, there are around 60 highly-trained foreign terrorists in the valley at the moment.
PM Modi has vowed to punish the terrorists behind the terror attack and those part of the conspiracy beyond their imagination. "Friends, today from the soil of Bihar, I say to the whole world India will identify, track, and punish every terrorist and their backers. We will pursue them to the ends of the earth. India's spirit will never be broken by terrorism. Terrorism will not go unpunished," he said during an event in Bihar on Thursday.
Leaders across party lines have called for decisive action against terrorism and terror camps, and assured the government of their full support. "The opposition has given full support to the government to take any action," Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said after attending the all-party meeting convened by the government on the Pahalgam attack on April 24.
In wake of the ghastly Pahalgam terror attack, India announced several diplomatic measures including suspending the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) for Pakistani nationals, expulsion of Pakistani military attaches, suspension of the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 and closing the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari among others.
Earlier today, Union Home Minister Amit Shah dialed chief ministers of all states and asked them to ensure that no Pakistani stays in India beyond the deadline set for leaving the country. India announced revoking all visas issued to Pakistani nationals from April 27.
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