Pulwama chargesheet

The 13,800-page exhaustive National Investigation Agency (NIA) chargesheet names 19 people for planning the terror attack that left 40 CRPF personnel dead in Pulwama on February 14 last year. Topping the list are Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, his brothers Rauf Asghar and Ammar Alvi and nephew Muhammad Umar Farooq, the key conspirator who was killed in an encounter last year. He was the son of IC-814 hijacker Muhammad Ather; the 1999 hijacking of the Air India flight had led to Azhar’s release. Pakistan’s footprint is all over the place. The meticulous investigation into the ‘blind case’ includes the forensically matched voice of Azhar’s brother discussing the attack, a Pakistan government I-card for Farooq, photographs of ‘every step’ and logs of WhatsApp calls.

According to the NIA, the car that rammed into the convoy was laden with 200 kg of explosives in a ‘well-planned criminal conspiracy hatched by the Pakistan-based leadership of terrorist organisation JeM’. Six of the 19 have been eliminated, seven have been arrested. At large are the three brothers across the border and three local terrorists. When the arguments are heard on September 1, another chapter will be added to Islamabad’s proven complicity in terror activities. That, however, will bring little solace if past experience is anything to go by. The perpetrators of the 26/11 attack continue to be active.

Pakistan’s presence on the Grey List of anti-terror funding watchdog FATF makes it difficult to get financial aid. To evade the more severe blacklist at the FATF review expected in October, it has designated close to 100 people as terrorists. Among them are LeT chief Hafiz Saeed, 26/11 accused Lakhvi and Azhar. What’s expected of Pakistan is to deny them direct access to funds, entry or transit through the country and procurement of weapons. Such resolve is wishful thinking, but NIA’s effort should not go in vain. Bolstered by the cross-border surgical strike strategy, New Delhi’s fight against terror hinges on top-notch intelligence, found wanting in Pulwama, and persistent global pressure against the rogue gallery.