New Delhi: India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) has formally charged Pakistan-based militant groups and several individuals in connection with the April terrorist attack in Kashmir that resulted in the deaths of 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists. The charges, filed on Monday, December 15, 2025, accuse the groups and individuals of "planning, facilitating, and executing" the assault in the resort town of Pahalgam.
The NIA's chargesheet names Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and The Resistance Front (TRF) as the primary organizations responsible for the attack. LeT is recognized as a terrorist organization by the United Nations. The TRF is considered by the United States to be a front and proxy for LeT.
In addition to the organizations, six individuals have been charged in connection with the attack. Three of the individuals, identified as Pakistani militants, were killed by Indian security forces in the weeks following the attack. These individuals are Faisal Jatt, Habeeb Tahir, and Hamza Afghani. Two other men, Parvaiz Ahmad and Bashir Ahmad Jothatd, who were arrested in June for harboring the attackers, have also been charged. Sajid Jatt, described by the NIA as a "Pakistani terrorist handler," has also been named in the chargesheet. Two other men have been in NIA custody since June and have provided information regarding the identities of the three armed assailants, confirming their connections to LeT.
The NIA's investigation, which has spanned nearly eight months, claims to have traced the conspiracy back to Pakistan. The agency alleges that the accused are facing charges under various sections of India's criminal law, including its anti-terrorism legislation, and are also accused of waging war against the state. The 1,597-page chargesheet was submitted to a special court in Jammu.
The April attack, which targeted Hindu tourists in Pahalgam, ignited days of intense conflict between India and Pakistan, pushing the two nuclear-armed neighbors to the brink of war. New Delhi has repeatedly accused Pakistan of backing the attack, a charge that Islamabad denies. A spokesperson for Pakistan's foreign ministry has not yet commented on the charges. The TRF initially claimed responsibility for the attack but later retracted its statement.
Kashmir has long been a point of contention between India and Pakistan, with both nations claiming the region in full but administering only parts of it. The two countries have fought two wars over the territory. Insurgent groups have been active in the region since 1989, seeking either independence or a merger with Pakistan.
