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Hashim Musa, one of the two Pakistani terrorists identified in connection with the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, has been confirmed as a former regular of the Pakistan Army’s elite Para Forces, according to security sources.

Investigators have revealed that Musa was dismissed from the army before he joined the banned terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). He is believed to have infiltrated into India in September 2023 and has since been active primarily in Kashmir’s Budgam district, near Saga.

Sources within the intelligence establishment suggest that Musa’s transition to Lashkar-e-Taiba may have been facilitated by the Special Service Group (SSG) of the Pakistan Army, with the aim of boosting the group’s operations in Jammu and Kashmir. His training as a para commando makes him particularly dangerous, given his expertise in unconventional warfare, covert missions, and high-risk tactical operations.

“Such commandos are adept in handling sophisticated weaponry, skilled in close-quarter combat, and possess advanced navigation and survival capabilities,” a senior official noted.

 

Musa’s Role Uncovered Through Interrogation

Musa’s background and activities came to light during the interrogation of one of 14 Over Ground Workers (OGWs) from Kashmir who were detained during the investigation. These individuals are suspected of having provided crucial logistical support, including shelter, surveillance assistance, and transport of weapons, to the Pakistani terrorists involved in the attack.

Investigators believe the OGWs played a key role in reconnaissance of the target site, enabling the deadly execution of the attack in Pahalgam.

 

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Links to Previous Attacks and Pakistan’s Involvement

Security officials say there is growing evidence of direct involvement by Pakistan’s military and its intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), in the planning of the Pahalgam massacre. They have drawn parallels between this attack and a series of assaults in October 2024, in which six non-local civilians, a doctor, two Indian Army soldiers, and two porters were killed.

Hashim Musa has also been linked to three other attacks in early 2024, further cementing his position as a high-value militant operative in the region.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is leading the probe, has confirmed the presence of a coordinated local terror network in South Kashmir. Officials say this network not only offered logistical support but may have also been instrumental in transporting the arms used in the Pahalgam attack.

Key Suspects and Casualties

Besides Musa, another Pakistani terrorist identified as Ali Bhai, along with local militants Adil Thoker and Asif Shaikh, have been confirmed as direct participants in the Pahalgam attack. Interrogations have also raised the possibility of involvement by additional Pakistani operatives who have yet to be named.

The attack, which took place at a crowded meadow near Pahalgam—a popular tourist destination—claimed the lives of 26 individuals, most of whom were tourists. Several others sustained injuries. It stands as the deadliest terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir since the Pulwama bombing in 2019.

As the investigation unfolds, authorities are working to dismantle the broader terror network behind the attack, while counter-insurgency operations have been intensified across the Kashmir Valley.

 

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