Is PoK Town Rawalkot the Epicentre of Pahalgam Terror Attack Plot? Shocking Details Emerge

The barbaric terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir’s Pahalgam, carried out just months ahead of the Amarnath Yatra, has been traced back to a deep-rooted conspiracy involving Pakistan-based terror outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), according to sources close to the investigative agencies. As the probe digs deeper, the focus is increasingly shifting to a high-level meeting which was held in Rawalkot, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), raising critical questions: Did the planning begin there?

As per the sources, the ghastly terror attack targeting innocent unarmed tourists, who were enjoying amid snow-clad mountains, deodar forests and meadows, was carried out by The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy group of Lashkar-e-Taiba, using its hit units. These units were tasked to create panic among tourists and pilgrims ahead of the annual pilgrimage. At least 26 people were shot dead by six terrorists who crossed over from Kishtwar and reached Baisaran via Kokernag. The cowards received help from the ⁠local operatives. 

Sources also indicated that the Pakistani handlers were actively giving instructions to the attackers, who had conducted a recce of Pahalgam’s tourist sites and hotels in the first week of this month. These hit squads with a mix of trained terrorists and overground workers were instructed to stage a high-impact attack, particularly during the visit of US Vice President JD Vance to India.

Security officials are now zeroing in on a recent meeting in Rawalkot, where several top operatives of LeT, JeM, and TRF were present and hate-filled speech was delivered by terror group Lashkar’s deputy chief Saifullah. An earlier venomous speech of Lashkar commander Abu Musa from just four days before the attack too resurfaced from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir's Rawalkot.  

During the rally organised in Khai Gala on April 18, Musa said, “India removed Article 370 and 35A to change the demography. You deployed your 10 lakh army. You wanted to echo ‘Ram Ram’ in Pulwama, Poonch, Rajouri. Lashkar-e-Taiba accepts your challenge.”

Then he spat, “Try it. Inshallah, we will shower bullets, slit your necks, and honour the sacrifices of our martyrs.”

INDIA STRIKES BACK

In the wake of the deadly terror strike in Pahalgam, the Indian government has mounted a no-holds-barred diplomatic offensive against Pakistan, holding it fully accountable for sponsoring cross-border terrorism. Following an emergency meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by PM Modi, India has rolled out a series of bold actions aimed at Islamabad.

Among the sweeping counter-measures, the most significant is the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. Moreover, Pakistani nationals in India have been given a 48-hour ultimatum to leave the country.

The government has also ordered the immediate closure of the Integrated Checkpost at Attari. However, the Ministry of External Affairs clarified that Pakistani citizens who have lawfully entered India will be allowed to return via the same route before May 1, 2025.
 

In a rare and massive diplomatic strike, India has declared all senior military advisors—Defence, Army, Navy, and Air—at the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi as persona non grata. They have been instructed to leave the country within a week.

India will also recall its own Defence, Naval, and Air advisors from its High Commission in Islamabad.

Pak Army-built App ‘Alpine Quest’ Key Tool: Sources

According to the intelligence sources, terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack used the encrypted navigation application Alpine Quest to infiltrate forest areas and reach the popular tourist spot. The app, which offers advanced GPS mapping and offline terrain tracking, enabled the attackers to move with precision through dense forests while evading detection by Indian security forces.

Sources in the security agencies revealed that this isn't the first time the app has been used for such operations. It was previously employed by terrorist groups to execute strikes in the forests of Jammu. However, after Indian agencies began closely monitoring its usage, terrorists shifted operations to the forests of Kashmir.

According to investigation agencies probing this case, this App was developed at the behest of the Pakistan Army to avoid tracking by Indian intelligence agencies.

Cross-border handlers conduct specialised training sessions for the terrorists, teaching them how to effectively use the app for route planning and real-time movement in difficult terrain.