Investigators Trace Digital Footprints Pointing to Pakistan’s Involvement in Pahalgam Terror Attack

Pahalgam Terror Attack: Indian intelligence agencies have traced the digital footprints of the Pahalgam attackers to safehouses in Muzaffarabad and Karachi, establishing Pakistan’s hand in the attacks and indicating the use of a remote control-room, much like the one that was used in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks , highly placed officials directly involved in the investigation said.

The five terrorists who carried out the murders were well-armed, with automatic weapons like AK rifles and advanced communication systems, and some of them even wore military-style fatigues, according to preliminary forensic analysis and statements from the survivors.

“Our intelligence intercepts suggest a direct link with operatives based in Pakistan. We have traced the digital footprint to some safehouses in Muzaffarabad and Karachi, which have been the key hubs for Lashkar-e-Taiba’s previous major attacks in India that are supervised by Pakistan army and the ISI from control centres,” said one of the people cited above.

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The Resistance Front (TRF), which has previously claimed responsibility for similar attacks, justified the killings as retaliation against what they describe as demographic engineering in Kashmir, a reference to the resettlement of Indian citizens post the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

Terror groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba continue to receive financial aid, training, and strategic backing from within Pakistan. Camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) offer advanced military training and logistical support.

“This was not just an isolated act of terror. The attackers were guided, equipped, and supported from across the border. The objective is to destabilize the region and derail the fragile peace that has been holding,” said a senior security official familiar with the investigation.

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NIA itself said in a statement in March that “terrorists were believed to have made their way to the hinterland districts of Kathua, Udhampur, Doda, Kishtwar, Reasi, Rajouri, Poonch, and also to the Kashmir valley.”

A senior official who deals with intelligence in Kashmir said “currently, there are estimated 55 to 60 highly trained foreign terrorists in the Valley”.

Pakistani spy agency ISI, according to the second officer , has equipped terrorists with Alpine Quest app in its offline version; this is a navigation app which is often used by professional trekkers.

“There is information that ISI has provided details of Indian security forces camps, police convoy movement, and barricades with this app to the infiltrated terrorists,” he said, adding that the terrorists are also using encrypted radio communication devices which have servers in Pakistan.

The Ministry of Home Affairs is closely monitoring the situation, and additional security personnel have been deployed in vulnerable areas. A high-level review meeting, chaired by senior intelligence and military officials, is expected later this week.

This incident marks a concerning escalation in the tactics employed by terrorist groups operating in the region. The use of military-grade weaponry and encrypted communication systems signals a new phase of hybrid warfare in Kashmir, officials warned.

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