Pahalgam attack: Mastermind Saifullah Khalid is Lashkar’s and Pakistan army’s go-to man

Preliminary investigations into the Pahalgam attack that claimed the lives of 226 tourists point to the role of a top Lashkar-e-Tayiba commander Saifullah Kasuri alias Saifullah Khalid.

Saifullah Kasuri alias Saifullah Khalid

Preliminary investigations into the Pahalgam attack that claimed the lives of 226 tourists point to the role of a top Lashkar-e-Tayiba commander Saifullah Kasuri alias Saifullah Khalid.

He is said to have masterminded the attack and was the driving force behind this brutal massacre. Khalid has been tasked by the Lashkar-e-Tayiba to oversee the terror organisation’s operations in J&K.

A high ranking figure in the terror outfit he has been involved in acts of terror in Jammu and Kashmir for nearly two decades now. He is a close aide of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba’s chief, Hafiz Saeed.

His proximity to the Pakistan Army is a well known fact. Around two months back Khalid was present at an event in Kanganpur, in Pakistan’s Punjab at the invitation of a Pakistani army colonel Zahid Zarin Khattar.

He was welcomed on stage by the colonel who even showered flowers on him. He went on to deliver a speech where he urged the Pakistani army to fight against India. He said, ‘if you kill Indian soldiers, Allah will reward you.’

“I promise that today is February 2, 2025. We will try our best to capture Kashmir by February 2, 2026. In the coming days, our Mujahideen will intensify attacks" he had said.

He joined the Lashkar-e-Tayiba in 2000 and underwent training at the outfit’s top camp at Murdike. Over a period of time, he became close to Saeed and was then handed over operations in Jammu and Kashmir. He is a pivotal figure in Pakistan and leads a luxurious life under tight security. He is said to be around 40 to 45 years old and is known for his firebrand speeches. He is often invited by the Pakistan Army to give pep talks to their soldiers in addition to guiding the younger terrorists of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba.

He is also the head of the outfit’s Peshawar headquarters in Pakistan. He was part of the Coordination Committee for Central Punjab Province of the Jamaat-ud-Dawah which is the financial arm of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba.

He has repeatedly expressed his frustration over Pakistan’s stance following the abrogation of Article 370 by India in 2019. He even criticised Pakistan for scale back the Lashkar-e-Tayiba’s operations in Kashmir and attributed the same to the escalating attacks in Khyber Pakthunkhwa and Balochistan.

https://x.com/AdityaRajKaul/status/1901244999146373396

Khalid was also an important figure in the Milli Muslim League (MML) which is controlled by Hafiz Saeed. The group came into prominence in 2017 when it fielded a candidate for a by-election after the seat vacated by Nawaz Sharif fell vacant.

The US had termed the MML as an alias for the terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Tayiba while blaming it for the horrific Mumbai 26/11 attacks.

At that time Khalid had said that they are clear that the US announcements will not lead to the discontinuation of their political activities. He also said that the MML will full take part in the 2018 elections and will field candidates from all seats in Pakistan.

He went on to say that the US decision is a violation of basic human rights and an open intervention in Pakistan’s internal evidence. He demanded that the State Department brings evidence before the courts.

The US State Department had said, “make no mistake: whatever LeT chooses to call itself, it remains a violent terrorist group. The United States supports all efforts to ensure that LeT does not have a political voice until it gives up violence as a tool of influence.”

The attack in Pahalgam has been claimed by the The Resistence Front which is a proxy of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba. The TRF only recruits local Muslims and was created only so that Pakistan can have a denial factor for any attacks in J&K.

"More than 85,000 domiciles have been issued to non-locals, creating a pathway for demographic change in Jammu and Kashmir. These non-locals arrive posing as tourists, obtain domiciles, and then begin to act as if they own the land," the The Resistence Front said in a post on the social media.