A special NIA court in Jammu has issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Saifullah, who has been linked to several major terror attacks, including the April 2025 Pahalgam massacre, officials said on Thursday.
A resident of Changa Manga village in Pakistan’s Kasur, Saifullah is also known by several aliases, including Sajid Jatt, Ali Bhai, Habibullah Malik, Langda, Noomi, Numan, Usman Habib and Shani. He is considered a key figure in the terror outfit’s operations and has remained active for more than two decades.
The NBW comes after NIA busted a "deep-rooted" LeT module headed by Pakistani terrorist Abdullah, alias Abu Hureira, who was arrested with another Pakistani accomplice, Usman alias Khubaib, and three local operatives early this year.
Quoting an order issued by the special NIA court on September 8, the official said the case arose after J&K Police intercepted a LeT operative in the Pandach area of Srinagar in March, leading to the successful arrest of the entire group, particularly Abdullah, who had been on the run for 16 years, and successfully established bases outside the Union Territory.
Seeking the NBW against the LeT commander for his role in the terrorist module, the NIA told the court that Saifullah, the designated terrorist listed under the Fourth Schedule of the UAPA, has been operating from Pakistan and providing weapons, funds and directions to terrorists in the Kashmir Valley.
The agency also informed the court that Telegraph IDs linked to Saifullah were recovered from one of the arrested Pakistani terrorists, revealing that he had provided directions for attacks on security forces, civilians and government establishments.
After hearing the NIA and examining the application and accompanying material, the court issued the NBW against the LeT commander.
"Keeping in view the fact that the accused person is at large and the investigating agency has not been able to procure his attendance in the ordinary manner.
As such a general warrant of arrest (non-bailable) is issued against Saifullah and is forwarded to SSP, Kulgam, as the last known address of the accused is village Yamrach (in South Kashmir district) for execution of the warrant as per procedure prescribed under law.
The warrant has been sent for execution to the concerned authority through NIA, the official said, quoting the order.
According to NIA, Saifullah also acted as a terrorist commander of LeT in 2005 to 2007 in Kulgam district and later exfiltrated to Pakistan.
(With inputs from PTI)