Pahalgam Attack Row: Terrorist’s House Demolished in Tral

Tral, South Kashmir: In a significant development following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, authorities have demolished the house of one of the three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists believed to be involved in the April 22 massacre that left 26 tourists dead. The house belonged to Asif Fauji, also known as Asif Sheikh, a resident of Tral in South Kashmir.

According to reports, Asif is one of the three prime suspects in the Pahalgam terror attack, which targeted a group of tourists at the picturesque Baisaran meadow. The attack coincided with two major diplomatic events, United States Vice President JD Vance’s visit to India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Saudi Arabia.

Police Release Sketches of Suspects

The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday released sketches of the three suspected terrorists based on eyewitness accounts. The suspects have been identified as:

• Asif Fauji alias Asif Sheikh (Code name: Asif)
• Suleman Shah (Code name: Yunus)
• Abu Talha (Code name: Moosa)

Officials stated that all three individuals were also linked to earlier terror-related activities in Poonch district.

The Resistance Front Under Scanner

Investigations suggest that the attackers were affiliated with The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the proscribed Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba. However, this claim is still under verification. Unconfirmed reports hint that Saifullah Kasuri, also known by his alias Khalid, a top LeT commander, might be the mastermind behind the attack. Authorities are yet to confirm his involvement officially.

Diplomatic Tensions Rise

The terror strike has also escalated diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan. Just a week before the attack, Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir stirred controversy by calling Kashmir “Islamabad’s jugular vein.”

“We will not forget Kashmir. It was our jugular vein and will remain so. We stand by our Kashmiri brothers in their heroic struggle,” Munir said during an address at the Overseas Pakistani Convention in Islamabad on April 16.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a sharp response to the remarks. “How can anything foreign be in a jugular vein? Kashmir is a Union Territory of India. The only relationship Pakistan has with it is the vacation of its illegally occupied territories,” the MEA stated.