Srinagar, April 22 — The Resistance Front (TRF), believed by officials to be an offshoot of the banned militant outfit Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, has claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack that killed 28 tourists, citing alleged demographic changes as the motive.
In a statement circulated on social media, the group said the violence targeted those “attempting to settle illegally” in the region.
The TRF stated that 83,742
domicile certificates have been issued to non-locals in Kashmir over the past two years, suggesting it as evidence of what they call an illegal settlement drive.
The data was presented by the J&K government during the recent assembly session.
The outfit alleged that non-locals “arrive posing as tourists, obtain domiciles, and then begin to act as if they own the land.”
The Himalayan Post could not independently verify the authenticity of the statement.
Authorities have yet to issue a formal response to the claim.
Following the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, which revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special constitutional status, the government of India introduced new domicile laws in April 2020.
These laws replaced the previous 'permanent resident' criteria with a broader definition of 'domicile.'
Under the new rules, non-locals who have resided in Jammu and Kashmir for 15 years, studied there for seven years and appeared in Class 10 or 12 examinations, or are children of government officials who have served in the region for 10 years, are eligible for domicile status.
This change grants them rights to own land and apply for government jobs in the region, rights that were previously reserved for permanent residents under Article 35A.
Meanwhile, reports suggest that India is likely to end the ceasefire agreement with Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir over the Pahalgam attack.