Security Agencies Confirm Pakistani Nationality Of Pahalgam Attackers

Security agencies have gathered evidence confirming that the three terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack were Pakistani nationals, PTI reported citing officials. The evidence comprises documents issued by the Government of Pakistan and biometric data identifying them as senior Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives. 

According to officials, their identity was confirmed through biometric records of Pakistan's National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), voter identity slips and digital satellite phone data, including logs and GPS waypoints. They said that the post-encounter investigation, including ballistics weapon-to-cartridge match and statements of two detained Kashmiri helpers, corroborated the terrorists' involvement in the Pahalgam attack. 

The terrorists were killed in an encounter with the security forces in Dachigam forest on the outskirts of Srinagar on July 28 during an operation code-named 'Mahadev'.They had been hiding in the Dachigam-Harwan forest belt since the day of the attack. 

The officials also said that no locals were a part of the shooting team in the Pahalgam attack. They identified the three terrorists were identified as Suleman Shah alias "Faizal Jatt", an A++ category terrorist, mastermind and lead shooter; his close associate Abu Hamza alias 'Afghan', an A-grade commander and the second gunman; and Yasir alias 'Jibran', also an A-grade commander and the third gunman. 

Along with weapons, the security forces recovered Pakistani government-issued documents, such as two laminated voter slips issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan, from the pockets of Shah and Hamza. 

Pakistan-manufactured personal items like wrappers of 'CandyLand' and 'ChocoMax' chocolates (both brands produced in Karachi) were found in the same rucksack that carried spare magazines, the officials said, adding that lot numbers printed on wrappers were traced to a May 2024 consignment shipped to Muzaffarabad, PoK.

Investigations have revealed that the terrorists crossed the Line of Control (LoC) through north Kashmir's Gurez sector in May 2022, when the intelligence intercepts placed their radio check-in from the Pakistani side. 

On April 21, they moved into a 'dhok' (seasonal hut) at Hill Park, 2 km from Baisaran, as was stated by two detained helpers, Parvaiz and Bashir Ahmad Jothar, who sheltered them overnight and provided them cooked food before they trekked to Baisaran the next day to carry out the attack, officials said. 

With PTI inputs