Pahalgam Terror Attack: How Terrorists in Pakistan Brainwash Locals for Attacks in Kashmir

On April 22, 2025, the serene Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, turned into a scene of horror when terrorists gunned down 28 tourists, including 25 Indians, a Nepali national, and a UAE citizen, in one of the deadliest civilian attacks in the region in nearly two decades.

The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility, with LeT commander Saifullah Kasuri identified as the mastermind. This attack highlights the persistent issue of terrorist groups in Pakistan brainwashing vulnerable locals, enabling them to orchestrate violence in Kashmir. Understanding the psychosocial tactics, communication methods, and local recruitment strategies is critical to dissecting this tragedy.

Terrorist outfits like LeT and TRF exploit Pakistan’s socioeconomic and psychological landscape to radicalize individuals. Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, along with Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), are fertile grounds due to poverty, unemployment, and limited education. Young, impressionable adolescents are targeted with promises of martyrdom and divine reward. Extremist groups use the ideology of Islamist martyrdom, convincing recruits that suicide bombings or attacks elevate their status in the eyes of God, often coupled with financial incentives for their families. In the case of the Pahalgam attack, two local Kashmiri operatives, Adil Guri from Bijbehara and Ahsan from Pulwama, were radicalized after traveling to Pakistan in 2018 for training. This suggests a deliberate strategy of cross-border indoctrination.

The brainwashing process is systematic. Terrorist organizations leverage religious rhetoric, exploiting cultural narratives of jihad, particularly in response to India’s 2019 abrogation of Article 370, which revoked Kashmir’s special status. Speeches, such as one delivered by LeT commander Abu Musa on April 18, 2025, in PoK’s Rawalkot, called for bloodshed in Kashmir, framing it as retaliation for India’s policies. These rallies, often backed by Pakistan’s security establishment, amplify anti-India sentiment. Digital platforms also play a role, with TRF recruiting youths through encrypted apps like Telegram and Signal for terror activities, including weapon smuggling and infiltration. Digital footprints of the Pahalgam attackers were traced to safe houses in Muzaffarabad and Karachi, indicating sophisticated online coordination.

Communication methods are both overt and covert. Public rallies in PoK, like the one in Rawalkot, serve as propaganda tools, while encrypted messaging ensures operational secrecy. The attackers, including three Pakistani nationals—Asif Fauji, Suleman Shah, and Abu Talha—used these channels to coordinate with local recruits. Survivor testimonies revealed the attackers forced victims to recite Islamic prayers or show religious markers, indicating a blend of ideological zeal and tactical precision. The choice of Baisaran, a remote meadow with minimal security, reflects meticulous planning, likely facilitated by local informants radicalized through these networks.

The Pahalgam attack underscores Pakistan’s role in fostering terrorism, with experts pointing to its “deep-state” support. India’s response—suspending the Indus Waters Treaty and closing the Attari border—reflects the escalating tensions. Addressing this requires dismantling Pakistan’s terror infrastructure and countering online radicalization to prevent further tragedies.

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