The filing of the chargesheet by the National Investigation Agency in the 2025 Pahalgam terror attack marks a significant development in one of the deadliest civilian massacres in Jammu and Kashmir in recent years. The attack, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians, has now been formally described by investigators as a Pakistan-orchestrated terror conspiracy directed in real time by handlers linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba and its proxy outfit The Resistance Front.
According to the NIA’s chargesheet, the conspiracy was masterminded by Pakistan-based operative Saifullah alias Sajid Jatt, also known as “Langda,” who has been named as Accused No. 1. Investigators stated that Sajid coordinated the attack from Lahore and remained in constant communication with the attackers during the operation, guiding them through coordinates and tactical instructions.
The agency said that its probe uncovered “clear technical and human intelligence evidence” linking the three attackers to handlers operating from Pakistan. Officials claimed they had gathered IP records, communication details, phone numbers, and digital evidence establishing direct cross-border coordination. The investigation also sought to counter what the NIA described as an organised disinformation campaign attempting to portray the massacre as a “false flag” operation.
The chargesheet identifies Sajid Jatt as a senior commander of TRF and Lashkar-e-Taiba. Investigators said he has emerged as one of India’s most wanted terrorists and continues to coordinate terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir while hiding deep inside Pakistan.
The NIA’s findings also shed light on Sajid’s long association with militancy in Kashmir. According to the chargesheet, he infiltrated Jammu and Kashmir in 2005 from Kasur in Pakistan. During his stay in Kashmir between 2005 and 2007, he reportedly lived in Kulgam, married a local woman named Shabbira, and fathered a son. Later, he returned to Pakistan with his wife while the child remained in Kashmir. The agency recorded statements from his family members and son as part of the wider investigation.
Investigators further alleged that Sajid built a vast network of overground workers across south Kashmir and used this infrastructure to facilitate multiple terror operations over the years. The same network, according to the NIA, was instrumental in carrying out the Pahalgam massacre.
The chargesheet also connects Sajid to the creation and expansion of TRF after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Indian security agencies have repeatedly argued that TRF was created as a rebranded front for Lashkar-e-Taiba to project militancy in Kashmir as an indigenous movement while concealing Pakistan’s involvement.
The NIA alleged that Sajid oversaw cross-border smuggling of arms, explosives, and narcotics into Jammu and Kashmir using drones. Despite losing a leg in an earlier gunfight and now relying on a prosthetic limb, he reportedly remained deeply involved in operational planning and recruitment activities.
According to investigators, the final phase of the Pahalgam conspiracy was executed days before the attack. The chargesheet stated that Sajid dispatched the three attackers toward the Besaran Valley area on April 15 and 16, indicating that the assault had been carefully planned and coordinated well in advance.
The case is expected to intensify diplomatic and security tensions between India and Pakistan, especially as Indian agencies continue to push evidence of cross-border terror coordination on international platforms. The chargesheet also reinforces New Delhi’s long-standing position that terror infrastructure operating from Pakistani soil remains active despite repeated global scrutiny and pressure.
For security agencies, the investigation represents not only the solving of a major terror case but also an attempt to expose the operational structure, communication channels, and local support networks that sustain militancy in Jammu and Kashmir.
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