New Delhi: The dastardly April 22 terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam was a closely guarded conspiracy hatched by Pakistan’s spy agency ISI and terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) on direct instructions from the country’s political and military leadership, reported TOI, citing sources in the security establishment.
The terror attack claimed 26 lives, most of whom were tourists.Described by sources as a joint ISI-LeT project similar in nature to the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, the conspiracy was executed entirely by Pakistani terrorists.
ISI-LeT coordination and execution
The ISI reportedly directed Lashkar commander Sajid Jutt to deploy only foreign operatives, excluding Kashmiri terrorists, to maintain secrecy and reduce exposure. The attack squad was led by Sulaiman, a suspected ex-Pakistani special forces commando, who trained at the LeT’s Muridke facility in Punjab, Pakistan.
He infiltrated into Jammu in 2022 with an M-4 rifle and later spearheaded the Baisaran valley killings in Pahalgam. Satellite phone tracking showed Sulaiman’s location in the Tral forest area on April 15, indicating his presence near the attack site for almost a week prior.
Past involvement and Execution Details
Sulaiman is also suspected of involvement in the April 2023 attack on an Army truck in Poonch, in which five Indian soldiers lost their lives. He reportedly stayed under the radar for nearly two years before resurfacing for the Pahalgam mission.
Though J&K Police had initially suspected Pakistani terrorists Hashim Musa and Ali Bhai, current investigations have only confirmed Sulaiman’s participation. The two other Pakistani terrorists involved have not yet been identified.
