The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadowy terrorist outfit operating as a proxy for the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has once again emerged from the shadows to claim responsibility for the blood-soaked attack on civilians in Pahalgam’s idyllic Baisaran Valley on April 22. The brazen assault, targeting tourists at one of Kashmir’s most scenic locales, is the deadliest civilian strike in the region since the 2019 Pulwama bombing.
What sets this attack apart is not just its brutality but the disturbing rise of TRF—a group that has rapidly evolved into a digital-age terror proxy designed to mask the involvement of established terrorist organizations like LeT, founded by UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed.
The Rise of a Proxy: TRF’s Emergence and Purpose
The TRF first surfaced in 2019, in the aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370, with a mission that was both strategic and sinister – to give terrorism in Kashmir a seemingly indigenous face, deflecting scrutiny from Pakistan-based handlers. However, the group’s ideological DNA and operational guidance trace directly to LeT and its patron, the Pakistani military establishment, particularly the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Unlike traditional terror outfits, TRF leverages encrypted messaging apps, social media platforms, and dark web forums to recruit youth, radicalize minds, and coordinate attacks. The digital camouflage allows it to operate without the baggage of LeT’s international notoriety, making it a more “acceptable” brand for exporting terror under the radar.
From Proxy to Perpetrator
The Pahalgam attack marks a significant escalation in TRF’s terror playbook. Eyewitnesses described a sudden eruption of gunfire as militants opened fire indiscriminately on tourists enjoying pony rides and picnics in the lush meadows of Baisaran—an act aimed not only at spreading fear but at crippling the return of normalcy and tourism in the Valley.
The group issued a chilling justification, alleging that tourists were “disguised settlers” as part of a demographic transformation in Jammu & Kashmir. “Over 85,000 domiciles have been granted to non-locals…violence will be directed towards those who attempt to settle unlawfully,” read their statement—echoing Pakistan’s propaganda narrative of ‘settler colonialism.’
Institutional Support and Designation
Despite attempts to distance itself from LeT, TRF’s leadership structure and tactics reflect its origins. Sheikh Sajjad Gul, a key TRF commander and LeT operative, has been declared a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and is wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). His role as the digital and operational brain behind TRF’s campaigns has made him a high-priority target for Indian security agencies.
Recognizing the growing threat, the Indian government banned TRF under UAPA in January 2023, labelling it a terrorist organization. However, the group continues to receive funding, training, and arms from across the border, further reinforcing its role as a Pakistani state-sponsored instrument of asymmetric warfare.
A Pattern of Bloodshed
TRF has been responsible for a string of assassinations, bombings, and ambushes across Jammu & Kashmir, targeting civilians, security forces, and local politicians. Its emergence is part of a broader Pakistani strategy to recalibrate militancy in Kashmir—replacing old faces with new proxies to evade international scrutiny.
Despite rebranding efforts, the Pahalgam attack is a grim reminder that groups like TRF are merely old threats in new avatars. Behind the façade of resistance lies a deadly agenda orchestrated from across the border, intent on derailing peace and destabilizing the region. As investigations unfold, the need for tighter counter-terror mechanisms and international pressure on state sponsors of terror has never been more urgent.
Ravi Shankar
Dr Ravi Shankar has over two decades of experience in communications, print journalism, electronic media, documentary film making and new media.
He makes regular appearances on national television news channels as a commentator and analyst on current and political affairs. Apart from being an acknowledged Journalist, he has been a passionate newsroom manager bringing a wide range of journalistic experience from past associations with India’s leading media conglomerates (Times of India group and India Today group) and had led global news-gathering operations at world’s biggest multimedia news agency- ANI-Reuters. He has covered Parliament extensively over the past several years. Widely traveled, he has covered several summits as part of media delegation accompanying the Indian President, Vice President, Prime Minister, External Affairs Minister and Finance Minister across Asia, Africa and Europe.
