Pahalgam Terror Attack: Non-Bailable Warrant Issued Against LeT Chief Hafiz Saeed; NIA To Seek Proclaimed Offender Status

New Delhi: Jammu court has issued a non-bailable warrant against Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed in connection with the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, marking a significant step in the investigation into one of the deadliest terror strikes in Jammu and Kashmir in recent years.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is probing the attack, is now expected to move the court seeking to have Saeed declared a Proclaimed Offender (PO) after the warrant remains unexecuted. The move would enable investigating agencies to initiate further legal proceedings, including attachment of properties under relevant provisions of law.

The non-bailable warrant  was issued after the NIA informed the court that Saeed, believed to be in Pakistan, had failed to appear despite legal processes. Since extradition remains unlikely, the agency is expected to initiate trial proceedings in absentia once the legal requirements are fulfilled.

The April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam's Baisaran Valley claimed the lives of 26 civilians, most of them tourists, and left several others injured. The massacre triggered widespread outrage across the country and prompted a massive security crackdown across Jammu and Kashmir.

Investigators have maintained that the attack was orchestrated by Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, with Hafiz Saeed identified as the alleged mastermind behind the conspiracy. The NIA has been piecing together evidence, including digital records, forensic findings, witness testimonies and the terror network's logistical support.

Officials said declaring Saeed a proclaimed offender would strengthen the legal case against him and pave the way for subsequent judicial proceedings, even in his absence.

Hafiz Saeed, the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba and head of the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa, is designated a global terrorist by the United Nations and is wanted by India in several terror cases, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Despite multiple international sanctions, he continues to remain in Pakistan, where India has repeatedly accused Islamabad of shielding him from prosecution.

The latest legal action comes as India continues to pursue accountability for the Pahalgam terror attack while intensifying diplomatic and legal pressure against Pakistan-based terror masterminds.

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