Who Was Hashim Moosa? Pakistani LeT Terrorist Linked To Pahalgam Attack Killed In Budgam Encounter

Hashim Moosa, a Pakistani national and alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist, was killed in an encounter with security forces in Budgam district, Jammu and Kashmir. Known by another name, Suleiman Shah, Moosa was actively involved in militant activities across the Poonch-Rajouri belt and the Kashmir Valley. He was a 23-year veteran of Pakistan's Special Service Group (SSG) and a former commando.

Moosa came under the radar of Indian security agencies due to his alleged involvement in militant activities in Jammu and Kashmir. He was allegedly linked to the Pahalgam terror attack, which took place in April 2025 in the Baisaran Valley. In that attack, Moosa was one of three terrorists involved, and while the other two were killed, he managed to evade security forces.

The Indian Army launched Operation Korag in Budgam after receiving intelligence about terrorists hiding in the forested terrain. During the operation, security forces engaged terrorists, and in the ensuing gun battle, Hashim Moosa was killed. His body was recovered along with war-like stores during a search operation in the Palmaidan area.

A former Lieutenant General, Sanjay Kulkarni, confirmed Moosa's identity as a Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba mastermind linked to the Pahalgam terror attack. Moosa was a resident of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and had reportedly left the military to join LeT in September 2023. He was primarily active in the Budgam district and had been involved in several attacks targeting security forces in the Poonch-Rajouri region.