Intelligence suggests the Pahalgam attack involved collaboration between JeM and LeT, possibly directed by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), as Asif Sheikh (JeM) and Ahsan Sheikh (LeT) are both suspects. Terrorist categorizations (A+, A, B, C) are based on nationality, training, duration of activity, attack involvement, weapons, and popularity. On April 25, 2025, Jammu and Kashmir Police released sketches of three terrorists—Pakistanis Ali Bhai (alias Talha Bhai) and Hashim Musa (alias Suleiman), and local Adil Hussain Thoker—with a ₹20-lakh bounty each. Musa is now proven to be a SSG commando.
The Intelligence agencies have observed that there may have been collaboration between Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack. This indicated by the involvement of key operatives from both groups, specifically JeM’s Asif Ahmad Sheikh and LeT’s Ahsan Ahmed Sheikh, among four others suspected in the attack. Reports suggest that Asif Sheikh’s role points to the fact that JeM assisted LeT, likely under the orchestration of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), which shows a coordinate operation rather than independent actions.
Both JeM and LeT are Pakistan-backed terrorist organizations with a common goal of destabilizing Jammu and Kashmir through militant activities. The Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 people, required sophisticated planning, execution, and resources, suggesting a division of roles. LeT, led by Hafiz Saeed, has a broad recruitment network and local operatives, as seen with Ahsan Sheikh and others from Pulwama and Shopian. JeM, under Maulana Masood Azhar, is known for high-profile, targeted attacks, and Asif Sheikh’s involvement indicates JeM may have provided trained militants or strategic expertise.
Reports suggests the ISI’s role in directing the collaboration. The ISI has historically facilitated coordination among Pakistan-based terrorist groups to maximize their impact in Kashmir. By leveraging LeT’s extensive local infrastructure and JeM’s operational precision, the ISI likely aimed to execute a high-casualty attack to escalate tensions and challenge Indian security forces.
After the attack, another terrorist group Hizbul Mujahideen had also declared “war” against India. We had posted a video of the HM’s leader’s statement.
The geographical overlap of LeT and JeM operatives in districts like Pulwama, Shopian, and Tral facilitates joint operations. For instance, Ahsan Sheikh (LeT) and Asif Sheikh (JeM), both from the Pulwama-Tral region, could have coordinated logistics, reconnaissance, or execution. The demolition of both operatives’ residences by security forces shows their linked roles in the attack.
LeT and JeM have occasionally collaborated on major attacks in Kashmir, such as the 2001 Indian Parliament attack and the 2016 Uri attack, where ISI-backed coordination was suspected. The Pahalgam attack fits this pattern, with LeT providing manpower and JeM contributing tactical expertise, amplifying the attack’s scale and impact. Infact, some sources suggest that both the groups now collaborate during infiltration stage too.
The NIA’s ongoing investigation, including survivor statements, aims to clarify the number of terrorists involved and their affiliations. The suspicion of both JeM and LeT operatives in the attack, coupled with the ISI’s alleged involvement, points to a deliberate alliance to exploit each group’s strengths—LeT’s local knowledge and JeM’s attack planning capabilities.
Intelligence agencies have identified 14 active terrorists in the Kashmir Valley, out of an estimated 50-60 operating in the region, with detailed profiles including addresses compiled for these individuals. The group comprises eight members of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), three from Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), and three from Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), primarily active in Shopian (five), Pulwama (four), Anantnag (two), Sopore (one), Awantipora (one), and Kulgam (one). Most of these terrorists, largely in their early 20s, joined Pakistan-backed outfits after 2021. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is investigating the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 and injured several others, by recording survivor statements in their home states, including Pune and Kolkata, to determine the attack’s sequence, number of terrorists, and their accents.
The eight LeT terrorists include:
- Adil Rehman Dentoo, 22, Sopore’s district commander, joined March 5, 2021.
- Ahsan Ahmed Sheikh, 24, Murran, Pulwama, joined June 24, 2023, suspected in the Pahalgam attack; his house was demolished.
- Haris Nazar, 21, Kacchipora, Pulwama, joined June 24, 2023.
- Naseed Ahmed Wani, 22, Doompora, Shopian, joined November 30, 2019.
- Shahid Ahmad Kutay, 27, Heerpora, Shopian, linked to LeT and The Resistance Front (TRF) since March 8, 2023; his house was razed.
- Aamir Ahmad Dar, Shopian, joined September 30, 2023.
- Adnan Shafi Dar, 18, Zainapora, Shopian, joined LeT/TRF on November 18, 2024.
- Zakir Ahmad Ganie, 28, Mutalhama, Kulgam, joined September 29, 2023.
The three JeM terrorists are:
- Asif Ahmad Sheikh, 25, Tral, joined April 18, 2022, implicated in the Pahalgam attack; his residence was demolished on April 25, 2025.
- Amir Nazir Wani, 20, Khasipora, Tral, joined April 26, 2024.
- Yawar Ahmad Bhat, Tral, joined August 26, 2024.
The three HM terrorists are:
- Asif Ahmed Khanday, 22, Wanpora, Shopian, joined July 2015, an A-category terrorist.
- Zubair Ahmad Wani (alias Abu Ubaida), 39, Doora, Anantnag, joined April 19, 2018, now HM’s chief operational commander in Anantnag, an A+ category terrorist.
- Harood Rashid Ganai, 32, Hassanpora, Anantnag, joined June 2021, who exfiltrated to Pakistan in 2018 and was in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) until recently.
Most recent reports suggest that LeT Terrorist Hafiz Saeed’s body guards have surged in numbers with SSG commandos of pakistan Army providing him protection.
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