In the afternoon of April 22, 2025, a heinous jihadi terror attack took place in Pahalgam, a popular tourist destination in Jammu & Kashmir, India. The terrorists singled out their victims based on their religion. The main target were Hindu men. In certain cases, the terrorists even stripped some of their victims to ascertain their religion. The victims were also asked to recite the Kalma, or Shahada, which is the foundational declaration of faith in Islam.
In the attack, at least 26 people were killed and many were wounded. The armed terrorists executed their victims at gun point. The male victims were executed in front of their families, in many cases newlyweds. The attack was claimed by the Resistance Force (TRF), which is a proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a Pakistan-based Salafi-jihadi organization and UN-proscribed terror outfit. The TRF and its alias Peoples’ Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF) are acknowledged as a rebranding of the LeT to evade the sanctions imposed on the latter. This has been standard practice by the Pakistani establishment for plausible deniability for its involvement with terror entities and to safeguard them from international scrutiny and sanctions.
The Pahalgam attack is perhaps the biggest terror attack in Kashmir since August 5, 2019, when India quashed Article 370 of the Constitution, which accorded greater autonomy to Jammu & Kashmir.[1] After India abrogated Article 370, there was a concerted effort by Pakistan to rebrand the established terror outfits such as LeT and Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM; a Pakistan-based Deobandi Islamist militant group) in order to present these new outfits as indigenous resistance groups active in India.
Meanwhile, tensions are growing between India and Pakistan. The Indian media outlet The Hindu reported that Pakistani troops are continuing to violate the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) by resorting to unprovoked firing in Jammu & Kashmir’s Poonch and Kupwara districts.[2] As tensions flare, Pakistan Minister Hanif Abbasi threatened India with nuclear retaliation, stating that Pakistan’s 130 nuclear warheads have been kept “only for India.”[3]
Mortal remains of the innocent tourists killed in Pahalgam, a tourist destination in Jammu & Kashmir, India.
Tourist shot at point-blank range
A victim stripped for the ascertaining of their religious identity.
Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir Asserted That Kashmir Remains Pakistan’s “Jugular Vein”; Pakistani ISI Employs Terror Entities As Proxies
In mid-April 2025, the likelihood of a major terror attack in Kashmir became clearer when Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir, addressing the First Annual Overseas Pakistanis Convention organized by Pakistani government in Islamabad from April 13-16, 2025, reminded participants that the state of Pakistan was created in religious-ideological opposition to India.
The ideological disposition of Gen. Munir strongly guides the country’s policy stance against India. He is known as a regressive and hardline officer within his professional circles. His ideological disposition was clearly reflected in the public address to the Pakistani diaspora, wherein, he announced his commitment to the so-called “two-nation theory” and asserted that Kashmir remains Pakistan’s “jugular vein.” He also revived a rhetoric that “Hindus and Muslims are completely different” and that Kashmir is a perpetual battleground where peace cannot be tolerated. Moreover, he urged that the young and future generations of Pakistan should be nurtured with the same thought process, reflecting the repressiveness of his mind, which incidentally is very akin to what the Islamic extremists believe and promote. He also told overseas Pakistanis that, after Medina, where Prophet Muhammad established the first Islamic state, Pakistan is the second Islamic state.
“You must tell the story of Pakistan to your children so that they do not forget it. Our forefathers thought that we are different from Hindus in every possible aspect of life. Our religion is different. Our customs are different. Our traditions are different. Our thoughts are different. Our ambitions are different,” General Asim Munir said, adding: “That was the foundation of the Two Nation Theory that led there. That we are two nations, we are not one nation. So, because of that our forefathers, they struggled, mounted that incessant struggle to create this country.”[4]
Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir. “Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir’s recent speech on Kashmir is being widely seen as the precursor to the Pahalgam attack, where 26 people died at the hands of terrorists. Munir made the provocative speech… just five days before terrorists opened fire at Pahalgam’s Baisaran meadow, killing tourists on vacation.” (Source: Firstpost.com, April 26, 2025)
Earlier, in connection with Kashmir Solidarity Day, which Pakistan commemorates annually on February 5, Pakistan Army Chief Gen. Syed Asim Munir spoke at events in Pakistan and in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Speaking at events in Muzaffarabad, in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Gen. Asim Munir reiterated a statement of Pakistan’s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah, saying that “Kashmir is the jugular vein of Pakistan.” The army chief stated: “Cutting the jugular vein off the body means the end of life. Muslims are never impressed by the number of enemies or weapons. Allah’s group [of Muslim fighters] will always prevail based on faith, piety, and jihad in the way of Allah.”[5]
Pakistan Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir (third from left) at an event in Muzaffarabad.
It is also noteworthy that Gen. Asim Munir was serving as the Director-General of ISI at the time of the February 2019 Pulwama attack in which 44 Indian security personnel lost their lives.
In fact, Pakistan-based terror entities are deeply embedded in the network of the ISI, which regularly employs these terror entities as proxies to achieve its tactical or strategic objectives. Such terror operations continue despite how decades of global scrutiny reveal the enabling environment in Pakistan, in which terror elements not only survive but thrive.
It is worth noting that the Pahalgam terrorist attack pattern is very similar to ISI’s past tactics: Inflict pain, sow uncertainty in Kashmir, and provoke a reaction while maintaining a thin veneer of deniability.
Tourists killed in Pahalgam by terrorists on April 22, 2025.
Sketches of three terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack.
“Asim Munir Is The Enemy, Recognize The Enemy”
LeT and other Pakistan-based terror outfits have been involved in multiple terror attacks in India. Among them it is worth remembering, including: the November 26, 2008 Mumbai Attacks aka the “26/11 attack” by LeT, which killed 175 people and injured more than 300; and the February 14, 2019 Pulwama Attacks in Jammu & Kashmir, by JeM, that killed 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel.
Similarly, in October 2024, under the name of The Resistance Front (TRF), LeT carried out a terrorist attack in Jammu & Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, killing six migrant workers and one doctor.
In June 2024, under the name of TRF, LeT shot up a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims in Reasi in Jammu & Kashmir. The bus fell into a gorge, resulting in the killing of nine civilians and injury of 33 more.
In 2020, under the name of TRF, LeT killed five Indian security forces personnel in Kupwara in Jammu & Kashmir.
Commenting on the Pahalgam terrorist attack, Major (retd) Gaurav Arya, a noted security affairs commentator said: “Asim Munir is the enemy, recognize the enemy, please; this is my request. Please recognize your enemy: It is General Asim Munir, it is not Hafiz Saeed, it is not Maulana Masood Azhar, or Syed Salahuddin, they are not your enemy, the enemy is the Pakistani army chief…”
Hafiz Muhammad Saeed is the founder of LeT; Maulana Masood Azhar is the emir of JeM, while Syed Salahuddin is the chief of Hizbul Mujahideen (HuM) – all Pakistan army-backed terror organizations active in Indian Kashmir. All these terror commanders are believed to be hidden by the Pakistani military.
Commenting on the terrorist groups, Major (retd) Gaurav Arya added: “I am telling you: These jihadis will dance on your head. They are in Kashmir today. They will enter Delhi tomorrow. They will carry out bomb blasts once again in Mumbai. They will kill people because they have previously killed people because it is their nature.”[6]
A young woman sitting next to the corpse of her husband, a tourist shot at point blank range by terrorists in the Pahalgam terror attack that shocked Kashmir. “The couple, reportedly on their honeymoon, were caught in the middle of the ruthless attack. In the now-viral photo, the woman, her wrists still adorned with the red bangles of a newlywed, sits in stunned silence, her eyes gazing into the distance. Beside her lies her husband, motionless, his head resting on the ground.” (Source: Kashmirobserver.net)
In the attack, men were shot dead in front of their families.
Pakistan Is Deeply Unstable
The Pahalgam terrorist attack needs to be seen in the background of the prevailing political and security internal instability in Pakistan. Pakistan today is deeply unstable. Its economy is paralyzed and is facing an immense pressure from the Baloch and Pashtun population.
Several pro-military politicians of Pakistan have now openly admitted that Pakistan’s grip on Balochistan has weakened, and that the Baloch people are actively supporting the independence movement and Baloch fighters. Pakistani Member of Parliament Zarfullah Zehri, speaking on the parliament floor of the house, stated: “Baloch women are selling their jewelry to support Balochistan’s independence.”
Earlier, speaking at a recent session of the Pakistani National Assembly, Pakistan MP Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman admitted that Pakistan lost its control in Balochistan, stating that a moment like that of 1971, when East and West Pakistan fought in the Bangladesh Liberation War, which led to the creation of Bangladesh on December 16, 1971, has arrived again.
Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman said: “I swear by my heart that, at this moment there are five to seven groups in Baluchistan who, if they retaliate, will be granted independence and the country will break once again.”
Fazl-ur-Rehman has always supported the Pakistan army against the Baloch freedom movement. In his speech, Fazl-ur-Rehman informed the establishment of Pakistan that the Baloch people are becoming independent and that this development, in his view, is not good for Pakistan’s future. “If districts in Balochistan announce liberation, the UN will accept their independence and Pakistan will fall,” he said.[7]
All the above has dented the image of the Pakistani army. Thus, like in the past, to deflect domestic focus from these issues, adventurism in Kashmir and India have become a political instrument for the military establishment to reassert its authority in the country. Each phase of heightened internal unrest in Pakistan coincides with escalatory action against India, with Kashmir as the prime focus.
Terrorists shooting tourists
“Kashmir Solidarity And Hamas Operation ‘Al Aqsa Flood’ Conference” Attended By Senior Hamas Leader Khaled Qaddoumi
On February 5, 2025, LeT and JeM jointly organized a conference titled “Kashmir Solidarity and Hamas Operation ‘Al Aqsa Flood’ Conference” in Rawalakot, in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, coinciding with Pakistan’s so-called Kashmir Solidarity Day. The event was attended by senior Hamas leader Khaled Qaddoumi. The event aimed to link the issues of Kashmir with Gaza.[8]
In his speech, Maulana Taiha Al-Saif, brother of JeM founder Maulana Masood Azhar, stressed the need for “jihad” in Kashmir and made references to the October 7 massacre against Israeli civilians.
Furthermore, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir Prime Minister Chaudhary Anwar ul Haq has repeatedly declared his support for jihad against India and to mobilize resources to expel Indian forces from Jammu & Kashmir.[9]
Hamas militants hosted by LeT and JeM terrorists at an event in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir’s Rawalakote. (Source: X)
The International Community’s Lax Oversight Of Pakistan’s Activities
While Pakistan has always been a breeding ground for terrorism, its current resurgence is also due to the international community’s lax oversight of Pakistan’s activities. In 2022, Pakistan was removed from the Grey List of the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF), an intergovernmental organization for curbing money laundering and terrorism finance.
As a consequence, in 2024, Pakistan has relaxed its laws on Madrassa Registration, permitting the madrasas to change their syllabus and manage their accounts with far more ease. This allowed terror outfits, such LeT and JeM, to run programs to further radicalize Pakistani youth.
Strong condemnation of the attack by the international community, although necessary, appears to be insufficient. Concrete action is urgently needed from the international community to rein in Pakistan’s rogue behavior.
Annex – Pahalgam Terror Attack’s Victims:
Bitan Adhikari – From West Bengal
“Adhikari (40), who worked in Florida, had returned to his hometown of Patuli, Kolkata, for a holiday and was visiting Kashmir with his wife, Sohini, and their 3-year-old son. He arrived in India on April 8 and went to Kashmir on April 16. A test manager at TCS with 15+ years’ experience in UI/API automation and functional testing, he earlier worked at Verizon and Cognizant.” (Source: Thehindu.com)
Sameer Guha – From West Bengal
“Sameer (52) had arrived in Kashmir on April 16 with his wife, Sabari, and daughter, Subhangi, for a family vacation. They were scheduled to return on April 23. A resident of Sakherbazar in Behala, Sameer was shot dead by gunmen in front of his wife and daughter. He worked with the MoSPI and was posted at the CGO Complex in Salt Lake. Neighbors remember him as soft-spoken and affable.” (Source: Thehindu.com)
Manish Ranjan – From West Bengal
“Ranjan (41), an Intelligence Bureau officer from Purulia, had been posted in Hyderabad for the past 2 years. He was on vacation in Kashmir with his family and is survived by his wife and two children. The eldest of three siblings, Manish was the son of Mangalesh Mishra, a retired school headmaster who lives in Jhalda. He was in J&K on a pilgrimage to the Vaishno Devi Temple.” (Source: Thehindu.com)
Sushil Nathaniel – From Madhya Pradesh
“Nathaniel (58), a resident of Indore and LIC branch manager in Alirajpur, was killed in the attack, while his daughter Akanksha was shot in the leg. The family had travelled to Jammu & Kashmir on April 19 to celebrate Easter. Remembered as the ‘guardian of the family,’ Sushil was someone whom friends and relatives often turned to for advice, says his brother, Vikas Nathaniel.” (Source: Thehindu.com)
Syed Adil Hussain Shah – From Jammu & Kashmir
“Adil (30), a ‘ponywallah’ (a pony guide) from Pahalgam, was the sole breadwinner of his family. Married with children, he earned a living by offering horse rides to tourists. The eldest in his family, Adil tragically lost his life while trying to protect the tourists.” (Source: Thehindu.com)
Hemant Suhas Joshi – From Maharashtra
“Joshi (45), one of three cousins from Dombivli killed in the Pahalgam terror attack, had travelled with Sanjay Lele and Atul Mone. The cousins had long planned the trip to Srinagar. On April 20, they boarded a train to Ahmedabad and then flew to Srinagar with their wives and children, looking forward to a holiday that ended in tragedy.” (Source: Thehindu.com)
Lt. Vinay Narwal – From Haryana
“Lt. Narwal, a 26-year-old officer in the Indian Navy, hailed from Karnal in Haryana and was posted in Kochi, Kerala. Having served in the Navy for 2 years, he was known in his neighborhood as a young officer with a bright future. He was on a short vacation in Kashmir with his wife, celebrating their recent wedding on April 16 — a joyous occasion embraced by the entire neighborhood.” (Source: Thehindu.com)
Atul Shrikant Mone – From Maharashtra
“Mone (43), a Senior Section Engineer in the Indian Railways, was in Pahalgam with his wife and daughter. He had accompanied his cousins Sanjay Lele and Hemant Joshi, two other victims from Maharashtra, on the trip. Nine members of the extended family were on a six-day vacation in Kashmir and were scheduled to return on April 26.” (Source: Thehindu.com)
Neeraj Udhwani – From Rajasthan
“Udhwani (33), a chartered accountant based in Dubai, was on holiday in Pahalgam with his wife Aayushi when the attack occurred. A native of Jaipur, he had come to India to attend a wedding. Married in February 2023, the couple travelled to Jammu & Kashmir on April 21 for a short vacation.” (Source: Thehindu.com)
Sudip Neupane – From Nepal
“Sudip (27), a Nepalese national, was with his mother Rima Pandey, sister Sushma, and brother-in-law Ujjwal Kafle when terrorists attacked them in Pahalgam. The family went to J&K on April 19 for a vacation. Sudip completed his Health Assistant studies and a Bachelor’s in Public Health, and worked on an oral-health project at Adhunik Samaj Dental.” (Source: Thehindu.com)
Shubham Dwivedi – From Uttar Pradesh
“Dwivedi (30), a businessman from Kanpur who had married on Feb. 12 this year, was on a family trip to Kashmir with his wife, Aishanya, and relatives. They arrived in Jammu & Kashmir on April 17 and were to return on April 23. On the tragic day, he and his wife went horse-riding while others stayed at the hotel. He was reportedly having a meal with his wife when terrorists opened fire.” (Source: Thehindu.com)
Prashant Kumar Satpathy – From Odisha
“Satpathy (41), an account assistant at CIPET in Balasore, Odisha, was gunned down by terrorists in front of his wife and 9-year-old son. He had gone to Kashmir on LTC after saving for months and was excited for the trip, his family said. The second of three siblings, Prashant planned the holiday after his son’s exams to enjoy nature with his family.” (Source: Thehindu.com)
N. Ramachandran – From Kerala
“Ramachandran (65), a native of Edappally, Kerala, had worked in the UAE for years before returning home two years ago. He travelled to Kashmir with his wife, daughter Aarathy, and grandchildren for a holiday. He was shot dead by terrorists in front of his daughter. Neighbors remember him as active and warm, known for his cordial nature in the community.” (Source: Thehindu.com)
Sanjay Lakshman Lele – From Maharashtra
“Lele (50) was an accountant in a private firm in Thane. He lived with his joint family in Pandurang Wadi on Mahatma Phule Road in Dombivli (West). He had accompanied Atul Mone and Hemant Joshi, who were also killed in the attack, on their tour to Pahalgam. His son also suffered a gunshot wound on his hand.” (Source: Thehindu.com)
Dinesh Agarwal – From Chhattisgarh
“Dinesh Agarwal, a businessman from Raipur, was in Pahalgam with his wife to celebrate their wedding anniversary, due on April 24, when he was shot dead. Neighbors remember him as an affable and kind-hearted person.” (Source: Thehindu.com)
Dilip Disle – From Maharashtra
“Disle, a resident of Panvel, was visiting Jammu & Kashmir with his family. While his wife waited in the parking lot, he went sightseeing on horseback in Baisaran Valley, unaware of the horror that would soon unfold.” (Source: Thehindu.com)
J.S. Chandramouli – From Andhra Pradesh
“J.S. Chandramouli (68), a retired State Bank of India employee from Visakhapatnam, was visiting Jammu & Kashmir with his wife and two other families. A devoted family man, he is survived by his two daughters, both of whom live in the United States.” (Source: Thehindu.com)
Somisetti Madhusudan Rao – From Karnataka
“Madhusudan Rao, a senior architect at IBM in Bengaluru, hailed from Byta Kummari Vari Street in Kavali, SPSR Nellore, Andhra Pradesh. He had gone to Kashmir with his family for a vacation. He is survived by his wife Kamakshi, a son, and a daughter.” (Source: Thehindu.com)
Santosh Jagdale – From Maharashtra
“Jagdale had arrived in Pahalgam with four others, including his wife and daughter, on April 22. When gunfire erupted, he took shelter in a camping tent with his family, lying flat on the ground. When terrorists found their camp, they ordered him to come out and chant the Kalma. After he failed to do so, they shot him three times.” (Source: Thehindu.com)
Bharat Bhushan – From Karnataka
“Bharat Bhushan (35) was in Pahalgam with his wife Sujatha and their 3-year-old son when terrorists attacked. While his family survived, he was tragically shot dead. The family had arrived in Jammu & Kashmir for a vacation on April 18, with Pahalgam being their last stop.” (Source: Thehindu.com)
Sumit Parmar – From Gujarat
“Sumit Parmar and his father, Yatish Parmar, both from Bhavnagar, Gujarat, were killed in the attack. The two had travelled to Jammu & Kashmir on April 16 on a 15-day pilgrimage to attend spiritual leader Morari Bapu’s discourse. What was meant to be a sacred journey ended in tragedy.” (Source: Thehindu.com)
Yatish Parmar – From Gujarat
“Yatish Parmar, from Bhavnagar in Gujarat, was killed along with his son Sumit in the attack. The father and son had travelled to Jammu & Kashmir on a pilgrimage when tragedy struck.” (Source: Thehindu.com)
Tage Hailyang – From Arunachal Pradesh
“Hailyang (30), an IAF corporal from Tajang, Arunachal Pradesh, was visiting Jammu & Kashmir with his wife. Posted in Srinagar for 5 years, he had recently been transferred to Dibrugarh and was on a short break before reporting. While at Don Bosco College, Itanagar, he saw an IAF ad and, despite family hesitation, applied and was selected even before his final exams.” (Source: Thehindu.com)
Shailesh Kalathiya – From Gujarat
“Kalathiya (44), originally from Chikuwadi in Surat, had moved to Mumbai four years ago for work. He was touring Pahalgam with his wife and children when he was shot dead. His wife, daughter, and son survived the attack.” (Source: Thehindu.com). Shital Kalathiya, wife of Shailesh Kalathiya, said: “The terrorist who shot my husband was laughing at that time. He stayed there till my husband died. They separated the tourists based on religion before opening fire.”
Manjunath Rao – From Karnataka
“Rao (47), a realtor from Shivamogga, Karnataka, was visiting Jammu & Kashmir with his wife Pallavi and son Abhijeya. It was the family’s first holiday outside the state.” (Source: Thehindu.com)
Kaustubh Ganbote – From Maharashtra
“Ganbote, who ran a snacks business, was a close friend of Santosh Jagdale, who was also killed in the attack. Both families were holidaying in Kashmir when the terror strike shattered their lives. Known for his jovial and helpful nature, Ganbote was a beloved figure in his old neighborhood in Rasta Peth. He had recently become a grandfather.” (Source: Thehindu.com)
[1] See MEMRI Inquiry & Analysis Series No. 1831, The Jihadi Terror Attack In Kashmir Reveals Pakistan’s Continuing War Against Indian Civilization, April 23, 2025.
[2] Thehindu.com/news/national/pahalgam-terror-attack-live-updates-jammu-kashmir-pakistan-loc-tension-april-28-2025/article69499872.ece, April 28, 2025.
[3] Indiatoday.in/world/story/pakistan-minister-hanif-abbasis-open-threat-to-india-as-tensions-flare-130-nukes-aimed-at-you-2715738-2025-04-27, April 27, 2025.
[4] See MEMRI Inquiry & Analysis Series No. 1831, The Jihadi Terror Attack In Kashmir Reveals Pakistan’s Continuing War Against Indian Civilization, April 23, 2025.
[5] See MEMRI Special Reports No. 11832, Pakistan Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir Warns India: ‘Three Wars Have Been Fought For Kashmir, And If Ten More Need To Be Fought, We Will Fight’; ‘Allah’s Group [Of Fighters] Will Always Prevail Based On Faith, Piety, And Jihad In The Way Of Allah’, February 19, 2025.
[6] See MEMRI Inquiry & Analysis Series No. 1831, The Jihadi Terror Attack In Kashmir Reveals Pakistan’s Continuing War Against Indian Civilization, April 23, 2025.
[7] See MEMRI Daily Brief No. 742, China May Help Iran And Pakistan Connect Chabahar With The Gwadar Ports Of Balochistan, Jeopardizing U.S. Interests In The Region, March 21, 2025.
[8] Wionews.com/world/with-hamas-in-pok-israel-reaches-out-to-india-over-groups-terror-listing-8774818?fbclid=IwY2xjawJ8P-JleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETE5N09IYTA3bzZ1V1Bkd04wAR60sK5IPHXMTmaTE66SBbTs6scNepQwXin52e0H3YCB4tC_NlLuDoEeLC0v7Q_aem_moMykEgUxh5YFVFm_rlB7g, March 3, 2025.
[9] Youtube.com/watch?v=VF7U9Wx1xDQ