The NIA has achieved a major success in the investigation of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22. The investigating agency has arrested two overground workers who gave shelter to the terrorists. Both the accused told during interrogation that the three terrorists who attacked were Pakistanis and belonged to Lashkar-e-Taiba. The NIA investigation has exposed Pakistan’s claim that it had no role in this. The evidence found in the investigation will strengthen India’s efforts to put Pakistan back on the FATF watch list.
According to a senior NIA official, both the accused who helped the terrorists, Parvez Ahmad Jothar and Bashir Ahmad Jothar, are residents of Pahalgam. Before the attack, these two had given shelter to the three terrorists in their hut built for the tourist season in Hill Park. They have also revealed the identity of the three terrorists. However, the NIA is not speaking openly about its identity yet.
A senior officer said that the investigation is at a crucial stage and the first success has been achieved. In time, more terrorists and their supporters may be arrested. It is worth noting that after the Pahalgam attack, the Jammu and Kashmir Police had released the sketches of the three terrorists involved in it and announced a reward of Rs 20 lakh each for providing information about them. They included the names of Adil Hussain Thokar, Ali Bhai alias Talha Bhai, and Hashim Musa alias Suleman. The Jammu and Kashmir Police had also claimed that these three terrorists were associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba. Now this has been confirmed in the NIA investigation.
