New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has uncovered evidence linking The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar-e-Taiba proxy, to a hawala network routed through Malaysia, with suspects allegedly raising over Rs 9 lakh to fund the outfit.
The probe, initiated after TRF initially claimed responsibility for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack before withdrawing the claim, has gained momentum following leads from a Srinagar-based individual’s mobile phone containing over 450 contacts. Several of these contacts are being investigated for their role in funding the TRF, with some linked to other terror cases.
The NIA’s investigation revealed that one suspect, Yasir Hayat, coordinated with Malaysia-based Sajad Ahmed Mir to arrange funds for the group. Hayat reportedly traveled to Malaysia multiple times to facilitate transactions. Together, they raised Rs 9 lakh, which was handed over to Shafat Wani, a key TRF operative responsible for managing the outfit’s activities. Wani is also said to have visited Malaysia under the pretext of attending a university conference, though the institution had not sponsored the visit.
Further details suggest that Hayat was in regular contact with two Pakistani nationals, focusing on raising funds and liaising with foreign operatives to support TRF’s operations. On August 13, the NIA had revealed the existence of a foreign trail of funds, which is now being probed extensively.
About The Resistance Front: TRF, formed in 2019, is considered a proxy of the Lashkar-e-Taiba. It was established to replace Hizbul Mujahideen and give a fresh identity to local terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir, while also providing Pakistan and LeT a deniability factor. The group was designed to project terror activities in Kashmir as locally driven and to continue attacks without attracting scrutiny from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). India has designated TRF as a terrorist organisation and accuses Pakistan of supporting it.
