Pakistani militants behind Pahalgam attack, India claims

The NIA has arrested two local residents for sheltering the “attackers”, says investigation ongoing

All three militants involved in the attack on tourists in Kashmir’s Pahalgam are Pakistani nationals and members of the banned militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Indian investigators have claimed.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) made the assertion after arresting two local men accused of sheltering the “attackers”.

Earlier, Indian police released sketches identifying two suspects as Pakistani and one as Kashmiri.

Following the attack, security forces launched a widespread manhunt across Kashmir, detaining over a thousand people for questioning.

None of the attackers, however, has yet been apprehended.

According to the NIA, the two arrested men knowingly provided shelter to the trio.

The agency said the investigation is ongoing but has not disclosed their names, ages, or the exact time of arrest.

A lesser-known group affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba, The Resistance Front, initially claimed responsibility for the attack but later denied involvement.

In response, India revoked the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty.

Pakistan countered by withdrawing from the 1972 Simla Agreement.

On May 7, India launched air and missile strikes on targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Islamabad responded with drone and missile attacks targeting Indian territory.

The four-day conflict ended on May 10, following a ceasefire announcement brokered by US President Donald Trump.