Nearly ten months after the Pahalgam terror attack claimed 26 lives, the National Investigation Agency has uncovered fresh evidence pointing to a well-coordinated cross-border conspiracy. Forensic examination of mobile phones recovered from the attackers shows they had stored precise geographical data of the Baisaran Valley days before the assault.

Chinese phones shipped to Karachi, Lahore

According to NIA sources, two Chinese-made handsets used by the terrorists were traced through supply chain records to delivery addresses in Karachi and Lahore. The devices contained navigation app data marking Baisaran's coordinates, along with screenshots saved on April 15 and 16, 2025.

Investigators believe the attackers conducted reconnaissance roughly a week before the attack, which unfolded on April 22, 2025. The valley, located about 6 km from Pahalgam, saw 26 tourists and one local resident killed. Sixteen others were injured.

 Pakistan-based handler directed operation

The chargesheet filed by NIA on December 15, 2025, names Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Saifullah alias Saifullah Sajid Jatt alias Langda as the mastermind. A resident of Kasur near Lahore, he allegedly remained in constant touch with the three attackers during the operation.

Investigators said Langda sent them the Baisaran location and provided real-time directions throughout the attack. He reportedly crossed into Kulgam, south Kashmir, in 2005 and now uses a prosthetic leg after being shot. The nickname 'Langda' stuck.

 GoPro camera trail leads to China

The investigation has also traced an action camera recovered from the terrorists. US-based GoPro Inc informed the agency that the device had been shipped to one of its authorised distributors in China. From there, it somehow reached LeT operatives.

NIA officials say terror outfits in Jammu and Kashmir are increasingly using body cameras to record attacks for propaganda purposes. Tracing the camera's route could expose networks supplying funds and equipment.

 Tourist guides arrested for not alerting security

The chargesheet notes the attack might have been prevented. Tourist guides Parvez Ahmad Jothar and Bashir Ahmad Jothar had reportedly seen the terrorists in Baisaran but did not inform security agencies. Both have been arrested.

A day before the attack, the three terrorists allegedly sought help in the name of God and ate food at Parvez's hut. They took bread and vegetables with them. Before opening fire, they ate under a tree in Baisaran Valley, investigators said.

 Operation Sindoor: India's response

In retaliation, India carried out airstrikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on the night of May 6-7, 2025. Named Operation Sindoor, the strikes targeted nine terrorist hideouts. Indian authorities reported over 100 terrorists killed, including family members and associates of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Maulana Masood Azhar.

The three Pakistani terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack were killed by security forces on July 28, 2025, during Operation Mahadev in the Dachigam forests. Langda, carrying a ₹10 lakh bounty, remains wanted in multiple attacks including the Z-Morh Tunnel firing and the Reasi bus attack.

LeT Co-Founder Amir Hamza Shot in Lahore, Battling for Life

The US-designated global terrorist and Lashkar-e-Taiba founding member was gunned down outside a television channel office in Pakistan's Lahore — the second such attempt on his life in under a year.

Gunmen Strike in Broad Daylight

Amir Hamza, a founding member of Lashkar-e-Taiba, was shot by unidentified gunmen outside a news channel office in Lahore on Thursday. He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, where the condition of the 66-year-old is said to be critical. Pakistani authorities have launched an investigation, though no arrests had been made at the time of filing this report.

Second Attack in a Year

This is not the first time Hamza has found himself in a gunman's crosshairs. He was targeted in a similar shooting outside his residence in Lahore in May last year. Pakistani security agencies had reportedly tightened his security following that incident, yet Thursday's brazen daylight attack has once again exposed glaring lapses. The ISI and Lahore Police are yet to identify the attackers or establish any motive.

A Founding Hand Behind LeT

Hamza is one of the 17 individuals who established Lashkar-e-Taiba in 1987, co-founding the outfit alongside Hafiz Saeed and Abdul Rahman Makki. He is a veteran of the Afghan mujahideen and was once the editor of LeT's official publication. Over the years, he served on the organisation's Central Advisory Committee and was instrumental in forging ties with other extremist groups operating across South Asia.

Terror Links Traced to India

Hamza's profile extends well beyond Pakistan's borders. According to security agencies, he has been linked to multiple terrorist strikes on Indian soil, including the attack on the Army brigade headquarters in Sunjwan, Jammu. He also led a charity front organisation connected to LeT and served on the board of a university trust previously headed by Hafiz Saeed — entities widely regarded as vehicles for recruitment, propaganda, and terror financing.

America's Global Terrorist Tag

Washington has long flagged Hamza as a serious threat. The United States formally designated him a global terrorist in 2012, citing his role in LeT's fundraising, propaganda operations, and his deep links to the broader jihadist network across Afghanistan and South Asia. His connections to Hafiz Saeed and other sanctioned individuals have kept him firmly on the radar of international security agencies.

The Jaish-e-Manqafa Split

Around 2018, Lashkar-e-Taiba reportedly fractured following an acute shortage of funds. According to sources, Hamza distanced himself from the parent organisation and subsequently floated a new outfit named Jaish-e-Manqafa. The breakaway group is believed to have retained ideological links to the LeT ecosystem while operating independently — a development that Indian and international intelligence communities have been monitoring closely.

Pattern of Targeted Killings

The incident involving Hamza comes just days after another senior LeT figure, Razaullah Nizamani Khalid alias Abu Saifullah Khalid, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Sindh province. Khalid, who once headed LeT's operations from Nepal, was the mastermind of the 2006 RSS headquarters attack in Nagpur and was also linked to the 2005 terror attack on the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru. The back-to-back attacks on senior LeT figures have prompted speculation about a targeted campaign against the organisation's ageing leadership, though no group has claimed responsibility for either incident.

Pakistan's security establishment faces mounting pressure to explain how a US-designated global terrorist — wounded once, now shot again — continues to move freely through one of the country's major cities. As Amir Hamza fights for his life in a Lahore hospital, the identity and motive of his attackers remain unknown, leaving a trail of questions that authorities are yet to answer.

J&K Police bust LeT module, 5 held including Pakistani terrorists

J&K Police bust LeT module with cross-border links; two Pakistani operatives and three aides arrested in coordinated crackdown

Major crackdown unfolded

In a major counter-terrorism operation, the Jammu and Kashmir Police has busted a module linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), arresting five individuals, including two Pakistani terrorists. The arrests were made following coordinated raids across multiple states, officials said on Tuesday.

The operation marks a significant breakthrough in ongoing efforts to dismantle terror networks operating in the Kashmir Valley and beyond.

Arrests across states

According to officials, security agencies conducted searches at 19 locations spanning Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, and Haryana. The joint operation involved central intelligence agencies alongside local police units.

Authorities confirmed that incriminating materials were seized during the raids, though details were not disclosed due to the sensitivity of the investigation.

Key accused identified

One of the arrested terrorists has been identified as Abdullah, also known as Abu Huraira, who had reportedly been absconding for 16 years. The second Pakistani national was identified as Usman alias Khubaib.

Officials said both had infiltrated India around 2010 and remained active in various districts of the Kashmir Valley over the years.

Local aides role

Three local aides from Srinagar were also taken into custody. They were identified as Mohammad Nakeeb Bhatt, Adil Rashid Bhatt, and Ghulam Mohammad Mir, alias Mama.

Investigators revealed that these individuals provided logistical support, including shelter, food, and communication assistance, to the foreign terrorists. They were allegedly in direct contact with handlers operating across the border.

Network and operations

Preliminary findings indicate that the module functioned as a support system for terrorist activities, facilitating movement, funding, and safe havens. Officials said the network played a crucial role in sustaining militant operations in the region.

Sources indicated that the two Pakistani operatives had, at one point, commanded a group of nearly 40 militants. Most of these operatives were neutralised in previous counter-insurgency operations by security forces.

Escape and fake IDs

Investigators also uncovered that one of the operatives had managed to leave the country earlier using forged documents and fake identities. This movement was allegedly facilitated by a wider LeT network extending into other Indian states.

Authorities are now probing the extent of this network and identifying additional suspects who may have assisted in the escape and cross-border coordination.

Security impact assessed

Security experts view the bust as a significant development in curbing terror infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir. The dismantling of such modules is expected to disrupt logistical chains that enable militant activities.

Officials stated that intelligence-sharing between state and central agencies has improved in recent years, allowing for more precise and coordinated operations.

What lies ahead

Further interrogation of the arrested individuals is underway, and more arrests are likely as the investigation progresses. Security agencies are also analysing seized materials to uncover financial trails and communication links.

The J&K Police bust LeT module operation is expected to have wider implications for counter-terror efforts, particularly in identifying sleeper cells and cross-border networks.

As part of the latest news today, this India news update underscores continued vigilance by security forces against terrorism. The case remains a key public interest story within the broader national and international news landscape, with further government updates anticipated in the coming days.