NEW DELHI, April 24. /TASS/. Indian intelligence agencies have determined that the Pakistani spy agency ISI may have had a hand in a recent terror attack by members of the Pakistan-based radical group Lashkar-e-Taiba (banned in Russia) in Jammu and Kashmir, The Hindustan Times reported, citing sources.
According to them, the digital traces of the Pahalgam attackers lead to ISI’s safehouses in Muzaffarabad and Karachi. "Our intelligence intercepts suggest a direct link with operatives based in Pakistan," one of the sources told the newspaper.
Also, since December, Pakistan’s army and ISI have assisted in the infiltration of 55 to 60 highly-skilled terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad, intelligence inputs show.
According to local media, the traced link between ISI and the terrorists is in disagreement with a statement from Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who claimed on Wednesday that "India may not have evidence of Islamabad’s support for international terrorism."
Twenty-six people, including 25 Indian nationals and one Nepalese citizen, were killed and many others were injured in a shooting in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22 as Khaki-clad armed men opened automatic rifle fire on tourists. The attackers demanded that some tourists show their identification documents, asking them questions about their religion.
At a meeting chaired by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, India’s Cabinet Committee on Security decided to cut staff at its embassy in Islamabad almost by half. The Committee also declared military aides to the Pakistani diplomatic mission in India personae non grata and moved to close the key Attari crossing on its border with Pakistan. Also, the Indian agreement paused the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan and SAARC visa exemption for Pakistan nationals.