Ex-Pak Para Commando Hashim Musa Linked to Pahalgam Terror Attack

Hasim Musa, the alleged Pakistani terrorist suspected to be one of the planners of the Pahalgam massacre, was previously a para commando belonging to the Pakistan Army’s Special Service Group (SSG).

On April 22, the ISI-sponsored terrorists wreaked havoc in the Baisaran valley of Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the loss of 26 lives.

Information from interrogating more than 15 overground workers suggests that Musa, an operator of the outlawed terror group, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), was lent by the Pakistan Army’s special forces to conduct killing operations in Kashmir.

Expeditionary Operative Evaded Forces, Employed Sophisticated Arms

Musa’s para commando background is thought to be the reason behind the attackers’ ability to bypass police forces during the coordinated attack. Security officials said that the fact that M4 rifles, a weapon that requires high-level training, were used further establishes his military-grade skills.

The attack was a part of a broader campaign to create fear and disturb peace in the region.

Participation in Previous Attacks in Kashmir

Musa has also been the perpetrator of three valley terror attacks, the October 2024 attacks in Gagangir and Ganderbal, which claimed the lives of six non-locals and a doctor, and the Buta Pathri attack in Baramulla, where two Army personnel and two porters were gunned down.

His repeated involvement in such incidents indicates that there was a longer-term mission given to him by Laskar-e-Taiba with support from Pakistan’s Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI), officials added.

Four Principal Accused in Pahalgam Massacre Uncovered

Four accused of the Pahalgam attack were identified by the Jammu and Kashmir Police as Pakistani nationals, Hashim Musa, alias Suleiman, and Ali Bhai alias Talha, and local Kashmir residents, Asil Hussain Thoker of Anantnag, and Ahsan of Pulwama.

Investigations indicate that Thoker had gone into Pakistan in 2018 and returned a year ago with terror training and tactical assistance.

Local Support Network Assisted the Attack

The security probe has also revealed a network of local support in South Kashmir that assisted the attack. Overground workers helped with lodging, logistics, and information collection, including mapping escape routes and hiding places in the Baisaran region.

Although some have since been released, more than 2,000 people have been arrested, many of them were known OGWs or former militants.

Ongoing Operations and Intelligence Coordination

Comb operations in the forests around Baisaran are still underway, with security forces having identified the hideouts of the attackers. An award of ₹20 lakh has been given for any credible information regarding the remaining terrorists.

Top-level meetings between the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Intelligence Bureau, and other agencies have been conducted to strengthen border security and disrupt terror support networks.

With the search for Hashim Musa afoot, investigators are also checking the connection between the attackers and other Pakistan-based terror surrogates, such as the Resistance Front (TRF), suspected to be coordinating attacks on encrypted platforms.