New Delhi. Arjumand Gulzar alias Burhan Hamza, the key conspirator and designated terrorist of the 2019 terror attack on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy in Pulwama, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Officials gave this information on Thursday. Hamza used to carry out his activities under tight security of Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI and he was ambushed in Muzaffarabad.
Hamza was seriously injured in the attack and was airlifted to Rawalpindi’s Combined Military Hospital (CMH), where he succumbed to his injuries, officials said. He further said that the attackers managed to escape from the spot before the local security forces could retaliate. Hamza was originally a resident of Khar in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir and was associated with Al Badr organization.
After this he joined a terrorist organization called Al Baraka and despite parting ways with the organization after differences, maintained close relations with the ISI. He was declared a terrorist under the UPA for masterminding the suicide terror attack carried out by Pakistan-based terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammed on a CRPF convoy in Pulwama on February 14, 2019.
40 CRPF soldiers lost their lives in this attack. In response, Indian security forces carried out an air strike on February 26, 2019, destroying Jaish-e-Mohammed’s largest training camp in Balakot. According to sources, Hamza’s surname was also Doctor. He was currently living in the densely populated Chilla Bandi located on the outskirts of Muzaffarabad.
Eight commandos, one bullet-proof (BR) vehicle and one escort vehicle were deployed for its security, underscoring the importance attached to it by the Government of Pakistan. He said he was provided security after fabricating a story of an alleged attack on him between January and February 2025. Hamza carried out terrorist activities in collaboration with former Al Baraka commander Farooq Qureshi.
Qureshi’s name has repeatedly cropped up in cases related to drug trafficking, counterfeit currency gangs, arms smuggling and cross-border terrorist activities in the Kashmir Valley. Sources said that both of them ran their business from an industrial complex known as ‘Matchbox Factory’ in Muzaffarabad. They reported that Hamza had close ties with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI), particularly an officer named Colonel Rizwan, indicating deep intelligence ties and protection.
Hamza recently married the daughter of Kupwara resident Qadir Lala, a former Hizbul Mujahideen member and currently working as a security guard at the terror group’s housing project in Chak Shahzad, Pakistan. Sources said he was also close to Murtaza, another former Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist from Pulwama, who now lives in Islamabad, and would often visit his residence.
Comments are closed.