NIA confirms Pahalgam attackers were Pakistani nationals
The NIA has confirmed that three of the five men behind the April 22, 2025, attack near Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir—which killed 26 civilians, mostly tourists—were Pakistani nationals linked to Lashkar-e-Toiba.
Two local residents have been arrested for helping the attackers with food and shelter before the assault.
Arrested locals helped terrorists with food, shelter
The arrested locals, Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar and Bashir Ahmad Jothar, face serious charges under anti-terror laws for supporting the militants.
The NIA is also looking into possible links between these terrorists and earlier attacks on security forces in Kulgam (2023) and Poonch (2025).
Investigators have talked to over 200 people in the area to piece together what happened.
Eyewitnesses shared photos and accounts that helped confirm who was involved.