Hashim Musa, ex-Pakistan Army Special Forces soldier, prime suspect in Pahalgam terror attack
NEW DELHI, 29 : Hashim Musa, one of two Pakistani terrorists identified by investigators in connection with the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, is a former regular of Pakistan Army’s Para Forces, sources said on Tuesday.
According to sources, the Pakistan Army dismissed Musa from its ranks, after which he joined the banned terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). It is believed he infiltrated into India in September 2023, with his area of operation primarily in Kashmir’s Budgam district, near Srinagar.
A source in the security establishment is of the view that possibly Musa was asked by Pakistan Army’s Special Service Group (SSG) to join LeT and strengthen the terror outfit’s Kashmir operations.
Musa, a trained para commando is believed to be an expert in unconventional warfare and covert operations. Such trained commandos are generally expert in handling sophisticated weapons with ability to indulge in hand-to-hand combat having high navigation and survival skills, a senior security official said.
According to sources, Musa’s SSG background was revealed by one of the 14 Kashmiri Over Ground Workers (OGWs), who was interrogated by investigators as suspects of Pahalgam terror attack. These OGWs are suspected to have facilitated the required logistics for Pakistani terrorists and helped in the reconnaissance of the terror site.
The three attackers have been identified as Hashim Musa alias Suleiman and Ali Bhai alias Talha Bhai, both Pakistani militants and Abid Hussain Thoker resident of Anantnag, J&K.
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The sources in the security establishment said that the role of Pakistan Army and the ISI is now evident, as similar patterns were also observed in the October 2024 attacks in the Valley in which 6 non-locals, a doctor, two Indian Army personnel and two Army porters were killed. Musa was also involved in three attacks happened in 2024.
NIA investigators have confirmed involvement of a local network of OGWs and terror module operating in south Kashmir. They have found that these locals guided the Pahalgam attack team and arranged logistics including shelter and possibly helped in transportation of weapons used in the attack.
According to sources, though it is now confirmed that two Pakistani terrorists Musa and Ali Bhai and two locals Adil Thoker and Asif Shaikh had direct involvement in the Pahalgam terror attack, interrogation of OGWs hints at involvement of more Pakistani terrorists.
At least 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed and several others were injured after terrorists opened fire on a popular meadow near Pahalgam in Kashmir on April 22. The terror attack was the deadliest incident in the region since the 2019 Pulwama strike.
-PTI
