Pahalgam attack: The Larger Pattern of Cross-border Terror

April 23, 2026

It was on this date, 22 April, 2025, when terrorists in Pahalgam massacred more than 26 innocent tourists and injured many others in the Baisaran valley after asking their religious identity first.

The attack was carried out in a brutal and targeted manner in a peaceful tourist destination, creating panic and chaos and leaving civilians with a very limited chance to escape in the difficult terrain of the valley.

These terrorists, who carried out this attack, were later neutralised under Operation Mahadev. They were identified as Suleman Shah (Hashim Musa/Musa), Abu Hamza (Hamza Afghani), and Jibran, and were linked to Pakistan-based terror networks.
Soon after this terror attack, TRF, an offshoot of the terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba, initially claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack twice, on the day of the attack and the following day, through its affiliated online communication channels.
However, following widespread public outrage and the way the massacre unfolded, Pakistan pressured them to disown the attack and deny any involvement.

Even Pakistan, at that time, said that it did not know anything about TRF, but later at the United Nations Security Council, it got the TRF name removed from the statement, reflecting complicity and diplomatic manoeuvring in shaping the final wording, with China also reported to have been involved in discussions around the language of the statement.

Later, Pakistan Defence Minister Ishaq Dar boasted about this incident in the National Assembly and said that he got the TRF name deleted, reflecting their complicity and the dilution of the United Nations Security Council statement on the condemnation of terrorism.