NIA arrests 2 residents for harbouring Pakistani LeT terrorists involved in Pahalgam terror attack

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two residents of Pahalgam for allegedly harbouring Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorists involved in the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 tourists and left 16 others injured. The arrests were made on Sunday as part of an ongoing investigation into the incident.

The arrested individuals were identified as Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar, a resident of Batkote, and Bashir Ahmad Jothar, from Hill Park in Pahalgam. According to the NIA, the two men provided shelter, food, and logistical support to three armed terrorists at a seasonal hut (dhok) in Hill Park before the attack was carried out.

The NIA spokesperson stated that during interrogation, the two men revealed the identities of the attackers and confirmed that they were Pakistani nationals affiliated with the banned terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Toiba. The arrests were made under Section 19 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. The agency added that further investigation in the case is ongoing.

The NIA had recently conducted raids at 32 locations across Jammu and Kashmir as part of a broader probe into activities of overground workers and terror operatives linked to Pakistan-based organisations. The locations included Shopian, Kulgam, Pulwama, Sopore, and Kupwara. The raids were conducted with support from Jammu and Kashmir Police and central paramilitary forces.

Following the April 22 attack, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) had issued a statement condemning the incident, calling it a “brutal terrorist attack” and highlighting that such operations require financial backing and mechanisms to move funds. The NIA stated that the two arrested men played a direct role in aiding the attackers on the ground.