Pahalgam attack exposes rise of foreign terror in Kashmir, Lashkar-e-Taiba leads the charge

The massacre in Kashmir’s Pahalgam this week—where 28 people, mostly tourists, were killed in a horrifying terrorist assault—has been linked to Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), according to security force records accessed by officials. This tragic attack has reawakened fears about the growing footprint of foreign militants in the Valley, particularly from LeT and its shadow outfit, The Resistance Front (TRF).

While the TRF claimed responsibility for the attack via encrypted social media platforms, security experts have categorically dismissed it as a diversion. “TRF is just a mask to give plausible deniability to Pakistan. The operation was carried out by LeT men who infiltrated from across the border,” said a senior intelligence official. Supporting this claim, former J&K police chief SP Vaid noted that the attackers were clearly foreign operatives under Pakistani control.

The incident unfolded at Baisaran meadow, a popular tourist spot near Pahalgam, when gunmen opened fire in broad daylight on groups of vacationers. Not only has the attack devastated families, but it also threatens the economic backbone of the region—its booming tourism sector.

Security data reveals a disturbing pattern: foreign terrorists now significantly outnumber local ones in J&K. Of the 73 active terrorists, 56 are foreign—35 from LeT, 18 from Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and three from Hizbul Mujahideen (HM). This imbalance, officials say, reflects Islamabad’s growing reliance on foreign jihadists to stoke violence in the region.

Vaid pointed out that while there have been isolated attacks on Amarnath Yatra pilgrims in the past, the scale and target of Tuesday’s attack marks a dangerous shift. “Local terrorists usually avoid harming tourists—they know the consequences. This was a calculated move by Pakistan to destabilize Kashmir and derail its recovery,” he said.

He warned of the far-reaching impact this assault will have on Kashmir’s tourism-dependent economy. “Hotel bookings will drop. People will fear coming. That’s what Pakistan wants—to isolate and impoverish Kashmir,” Vaid added.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is expected to take over the probe, focusing on the infiltration route used and the digital trail left behind by TRF.