A Jammu court has issued a non-bailable warrant for Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed regarding the April 2025 terror attack in Pahalgam. The National Investigation Agency seeks to conduct a trial in absentia after citing his evasion of Indian legal processes.
A Jammu court has formally issued a non-bailable warrant for Hafiz Saeed, the leader of the Pakistan-based group Lashkar-e-Taiba. This legal step follows a supplementary chargesheet filed by the National Investigation Agency on July 6, 2026, which identifies Saeed as a primary planner of the terror attack that occurred in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025.
The terror incident in April 2025 resulted in the tragic loss of 26 lives, with the majority of the victims being tourists. The investigation agency has informed the court that it has exhausted all available extradition channels to bring the accused to justice. Due to his deliberate absence and continued residence in Pakistan, authorities are now moving to initiate judicial proceedings against him in absentia.
Under current legal provisions, specifically the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, Indian courts are empowered to conduct trials against individuals residing outside the country who intentionally avoid court appearances for serious criminal charges. This procedure requires the issuance of summons and warrants, followed by the potential declaration of the accused as a proclaimed offender if they fail to present themselves.
The investigation into the attack remains ongoing, as the agency continues to piece together the network involved in the cross-border conspiracy. In its earlier filings, the agency had already named several other individuals, including three Pakistani nationals identified as Suleman, Jibran, and Hamza Afghani, along with Lashkar-e-Taiba operative Sajid Saifullah Jatt and two local residents, Bashir Hai Ahmed and Parvez Ahmed.
As the legal process unfolds, the court will continue to review the evidence presented by the National Investigation Agency. The next steps in this matter will involve formalizing the trial in absentia process, which serves as a significant legal mechanism for addressing major crimes involving suspects beyond the reach of traditional arrest warrants.