From Abbottabad Via Muzaffarabad: What Route Did Pahalgam Terrorists Take To Reach Attack Site?

The NIA investigation has confirmed that the terrorists involved in the Pahalgam massacre were of Pakistani origin. Central agencies are now working to determine the probable route these terrorists took before reaching the attack site.

According to sources, terrorists were highly trained and may have been involved in multiple attacks, including the Spiner attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. Their training reportedly included advanced combat skills, concealment techniques, and survival tactics.

A source said there is credible information suggesting a specific route starting from Abbottabad, a city known for hosting multiple academies of the Pakistani armed forces. From there, they are believed to have moved to Muzaffarabad before infiltrating India, possibly via the Poonch-Rajouri route. Various intelligence agencies have reported this route.

The sources said these terrorists might have been in the region for an extended period and could have been involved in other attacks alongside different terror groups. The NIA is now examining their potential links to previous incidents, including those that occurred last year.

However, the exact timeline of their entry into Indian territory has not yet been established. Agencies are analysing digital footprints to track the terrorists’ movements, an approach that has yielded critical leads in the past. Investigators believe the group stayed at multiple locations across Jammu.

“Suleman, a Pakistani national, was involved in the attack. Central agencies have traced a group’s movement through digital footprints in the past, and they are using a specialised communications system that is difficult to intercept," a senior official involved in the investigation told News18 on the condition of anonymity.

The official said while road routes are longer, the distance can be reduced by 60 to 70 per cent through hilly terrain.

The NIA is also investigating the role of local collaborators, who may have assisted the terrorists during their journey by providing logistical support, helping them flee, or aiding in the concealment of weapons.

The agency has gathered substantial evidence regarding the identities of the terrorists. This includes eyewitness accounts from victims, video footage, technical evidence, and sketches released by the Jammu and Kashmir police. All this evidence is being carefully analysed, and the NIA has not yet reached any conclusions.

On Sunday (June 22), the NIA arrested two local men who allegedly helped the terrorists. “In a major breakthrough in the Pahalgam terror attack case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two men for harbouring the terrorists who carried out the horrendous attack that killed 26 innocent tourists and grievously injured 16 others," the NIA said.

The two men, Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar from Batkote, Pahalgam, and Bashir Ahmad Jothar of Hill Park, Pahalgam, disclosed the identities of the three armed terrorists involved in the attack and confirmed that they were Pakistani nationals affiliated with the proscribed terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

“Parvaiz and Bashir had knowingly harboured the three-armed terrorists at a seasonal dhok (hut) at Hill Park before the attack," the NIA said. “The two men provided food, shelter, and logistical support to the terrorists, who, on the fateful afternoon, selectively killed the tourists based on their religious identity, making it one of the most gruesome terrorist attacks ever."