Pahalgam Attack Blueprint: ‘Hamas-Style Plan Backed By Pakistan’, Masood Azhar’s Brother Likely Involved | Exclusive

Intelligence officials are learnt to have found fresh evidence that points to the involvement of Jaish-e-Mohammed, besides Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen, in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. This means, sources said, not only Lashkar's deputy chief Saifullah Kasuri, but Jaish terrorist Rauf Asghar could also be the mastermind of the attack. Asghar, brother of Jaish chief Masood Azhar, is a terrorist at the top of the wanted list in India. 

Last Friday, ABP News reported a major revelation on the Pahalgam terror attack case, detailing how five commanders of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen orchestrated the April 22 attack under orders from Lashkar's Saifullah Kasuri.

According to intelligence sources, the style of the April 22 attack on tourists in Pahalgam — where victims were singled out and shot after being asked their names and religion — bears chilling resemblance to the Hamas attack on Israel's Re'im city on October 7, 2023, where gunmen stormed a music festival, killed several attendees, and took hostages. This Hamas-style attack model, upon deeper analysis by intelligence units, has shown significant overlaps.

Terrorists 'Protected' By Pakistan Police Gathered In Rawalkot

On February 5, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Hamas terrorists reportedly held a gathering in Rawalakot (PoK), to discuss promoting "jihad" in Kashmir and commemorating the October 7 Hamas attack named "Operation Al Aqsa Flood". That day, Rawalakot's streets were swarming with Jaish militants, and even SP-level Pakistani police officers were seen following them, according to the sources cited above.

Among those present were Jaish commander Masood Ilyasi, Masood Azhar's brother Talha al Saif, Hamas representative in Iran Khalid Qayoumi, and Maulana Saeed Yusuf. It is learnt that Talha al Saif and Khalid Qayoumi arrived there in a vehicle with number plate BY 555.

At this gathering, anti-India statements were delivered from the stage, and the terrorists and their sympathisers made open calls for "jihad" in Kashmir, the sources said, adding that they hailed Hamas's operation in Israel on October 7 and sought similar action in Kashmir.

ABP News previously reported how Saifullah Kasuri publicly announced a plan on February 2 to “turn Kashmir into an Islamic state within a year”. Now, fresh evidence that ABP News has accessed shows that the day after the Jaish and Hamas gathering at Rawalkot, on February 6, Kasuri met Rauf Asghar along with Hafiz Saeed's son at the Jaish headquarters in Bahawalpur Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah.

Children Inducted In Jihad Operations

Video footage available with ABP News shows Kasuri addressing young children at a Jaish madrassa. He can be heard saying "Mujahideen will soon unleash jihad in Kashmir". He also says the impact of their operations will be seen within weeks. Following this, both Rauf Asghar and Talha Saeed (Hafiz Saeed's son) made inflammatory speeches on Kashmir.

After these speeches, the sources told ABP News, Kasuri, Talha Saeed, and Rauf Asghar held a closed-door meeting where they discussed launching a Hamas-style terror attack in Kashmir, inspired by the Al Aqsa Flood Operation. While it's still unclear who exactly initiated the attack plan, the intelligence sources suspect the blueprint for the Pahalgam assault was first drawn in that Bahawalpur meeting.

Earlier, ABP News also reported how Kasuri was seen with Pakistani Rangers Wing Commander Zahid Zareen on February 19, and that he held meeting in Kasur the same month with key terror operatives of PoK-based terror outfits —Lashkar's Abu Musa, Mohammad Nawaz, and Abdullah Khalid; Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami's Idrees Shaheen; and United Jihad Council and Hizbul's commander Abdul Raffa Rasool. Kasuri allegedly instructed all of them to plan a large-scale attack in Kashmir.

Then, in March, under Kasuri's direction, these commanders formulated the Pahalgam attack plan. On March 13, the sources said, Kasuri held a strategy session in Mirpur, attended by these operatives. This was the meeting ABP News reported about earlier, where Kasuri was seen praising Abu Musa before the session and later, as per sources, reviewing the attack plan.

When Was Pahalgam Fixed As Terror Strike Site?

The fresh evidence also shows that just three days after the March 13 Mirpur meeting, Kasuri travelled to Jaish's Bahawalpur headquarters again and stayed there until March 17. The sources confirmed that Kasuri met Rauf Asghar and Jaish commander Masood Ilyasi there. It was at this meeting that Pahalgam was finalised as the attack site.

Kasuri also stressed that the attack should target people from outside Jammu & Kashmir and must be big, they said.

While Abu Musa, Idrees Shaheen, Abdul Raffa Rasool, Mohammad Nawaz, and Abdullah Khalid were in charge of the training and execution, the overall command of the operation was handed to Abu Musa — Lashkar's top commander in PoK and Kasuri's close aide. His close ties to Kasuri are also evident from his presence at the February 5 Rawalakot Jaish-Hamas gathering as Kasuri's representative on stage.

ABP News had earlier reported how, on April 18, these five terrorists openly threatened India from a stage in Rawalakot and vowed to launch a strike similar to the Akshardham temple attack. Now, the new evidence shows Hamas-style elements in this event too, with children dressed in Hamas-like uniforms holding toy guns on stage and terrorists taking oaths to spread jihad in Kashmir. Pakistani police officers were seen acting like security personnel at the event, with an ASP-level officer personally overseeing the security.

Intelligence suspects that the infiltrators behind the Pahalgam attack crossed over via Rawalakot through the Poonch route on the night of April 1. This was the day when the Pakistani Army fired across the Line of Control. It has now been revealed that the firing was a joint plan involving Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Hizbul Mujahideen, United Jihad Council, HuJI, with active involvement of the Pakistani Army. 

From the April 1 LoC firing to the April 16 anti-Hindu speech by the Pakistani Army chief, and the Rawalakot event providing security to terrorists — all evidence points to Pakistan's direct hand in the Pahalgam terror attack, the intelligence sources said.

india