How Pakistan’s ISI Is Running, Facilitating Cyber Jihad: Exclusive From NIA’s Pahalgam Attack Chargesheet

Last Updated:August 25, 2026, 2:32 PM IST

ISI provides dedicated server backbones, encrypted VPN gateways and local ISP facilitation to ensure uninterrupted command-and-control for terror handles, said sources

Intelligence desks procure international virtual SIMs from the UK and US, along with VoIP lines in bulk, giving Pakistani handlers localised digital identities to conceal their Rawalpindi footprint. (AI generated for representation)

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) chargesheet into the Pahalgam attack has revealed that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is running and facilitating “cyber jihad”.

A perfect example of it was the attack. The TRF originally boasted and took full responsibility for the Pahalgam civilian attack, within 2.5 hours of its execution, across its social media channels. On 25.04.2025, immediately following a formal United Nations Security Council statement condemning the Pahalgam civilian murders, TRF executed a panicked digital rollback.

TRF launched automated Telegram bots to distribute a denial-cum-false-flag claim, manufacturing an internal-audit narrative that alleged Indian agencies had planted unauthorised posts.

Here’s how the ISI comes into the picture.

HOW ISI COMES TO THE RESCUE OF TERROR GROUPS: NIA REVEALS

The ISI provides dedicated server backbonesencrypted VPN gateways and local ISP facilitation, such as CMPak nodes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, to ensure uninterrupted command-and-control for terror handles, said sources.

Intelligence desks procure international virtual SIMs from the UK and US, along with VoIP lines in bulk, giving Pakistani handlers localised digital identities to conceal their Rawalpindi footprint.

ISI psy-ops units directly shape the operational posture of groups such as TRF, ordering kinetic ownership when terror value is high and mandating immediate false-flag denials when global sanctions or UNSC condemnations threaten Islamabad.

Deep-state technical wings build and deploy automated Telegram bots, encryption tools and spam engines, enabling small cyber-cells to push radical bomb-making tutorials and terror propaganda to targeted Indian youth at scale.

High-frequency digital mapping reveals coordinated posting schedules between Khalistani handles and Kashmir-focused handles, suggesting that a single Rawalpindi war room dictates the narrative.

The network serves as an encrypted operational bridge connecting Pakistan-based handlers directly to local Over-Ground Workers (OGWs) across Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir, said sources.

This is transitioning digital radicalisation into real-world weapon drops, target surveillance and IED logistics. Operatives execute structured counter-surveillance tactics, including automated account purges, rapid admin-ownership rotation and encrypted proxy relays, they said.

Key Questions Answered

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How does ISI use technology to support terror groups?

Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) uses technology to support terror groups by providing dedicated server backbones, encrypted VPN gateways, and local ISP facilitation to ensure uninterrupted command-and-control for terror handles.

What are the real-world impacts of digital radicalization?

Digital radicalisation can lead to the spread of extremist material, including bomb-making instructions and calls for attacks. It can also result in the indoctrination of vulnerable youth with violent jihadi content and misinformation.

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About the Author

Manoj Gupta

Group Editor, Investigations and Security Affairs, Network18

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