Investigations have identified Hashim Musa, a Pakistani national, as the mastermind behind the Pahalgam attack. Crucially, Musa is a former para commando of the Pakistan Army’s Special Forces, specifically believed to have served in the elite Special Service Group (SSG). After being dismissed from the Pakistan Army, he joined the banned terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Security sources indicate that Musa may have been “loaned” by the SSG to LeT to bolster its operations in Kashmir.

Musa’s background as a para commando is significant. SSG para commandos are renowned for their expertise in unconventional warfare, including covert missions, advanced weapon handling, hand-to-hand combat, survival, and navigation in difficult terrain. These skills were evident in the Pahalgam attack, where the attackers demonstrated high operational discipline, used advanced weaponry, and evaded security forces by moving through rugged forests without relying on local support.

The probe has uncovered a network of local over ground workers (OGWs) and terror supporters in South Kashmir who provided logistical support, shelters, and reconnaissance for the attackers. At least 14 OGWs have been interrogated, with evidence suggesting their involvement in arranging transport, scouting the area, and mapping potential hideouts.

The investigation has also identified another Pakistani national, Ali Bhai, and two locals, Adil Thoker and Asif Shaikh, as part of the attack team.

Hashim Musa is also believed to be the key figure behind earlier attacks in 2024, including those in Gagangir, Ganderbal, and Buta Pathri, Baramulla, which targeted non-local civilians and Indian security personnel. Two local terrorists involved in those attacks, who had trained in Pakistan, were killed in subsequent encounters.

The findings of Musa’s military background and the operational sophistication of the attack are being cited by Indian authorities as clear evidence of the involvement of Pakistan’s military and intelligence agencies, particularly the ISI, in orchestrating cross-border terrorism in Kashmir.

The ongoing probe into the Pahalgam massacre has established that Hashim Musa, the main perpetrator, is a former Pakistani Special Forces para commando who brought elite military training to his role as a Lashkar-e-Taiba operative. The attack’s sophistication, the targeting of non-locals, and the support network uncovered in Kashmir underscore the continuing threat posed by cross-border terrorism with alleged state backing from Pakistan.

ET News