Pulwama mastermind Hamza Burhan buried in Islamabad; top terror chiefs attend
Synopsis
Hamza Burhan — the India-designated terrorist and alleged Pulwama bombing mastermind — was shot dead in PoK and buried in Islamabad with top wanted terror chiefs in attendance. The funeral, reportedly attended by ISI-linked officials and heavily armed militants, is the latest in a documented pattern of Pakistani state-adjacent figures honouring designated terrorists.
Key Takeaways
Hamza Burhan , also known as Arjumand Gulzar Dar ('Doctor'), was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and buried in Islamabad on 23 May .
He was designated a terrorist by India's Union Home Ministry in 2022 for his alleged role in the February 2019 Pulwama attack , which killed more than 40 CRPF personnel.
Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin and Al-Badr supremo Bakht Zameen Khan were reportedly among those present at the funeral.
Officials linked to Pakistan's ISI were also reportedly seen at the gathering, according to social media visuals and local reports.
The funeral follows a similar pattern from May 2025 , when Pakistani military and civil officials attended funerals of militants killed in Operation Sindoor .
Hamza Burhan, designated a terrorist by India's Union Home Ministry in 2022 and identified as a key mastermind of the 2019 Pulwama attack, was buried in Islamabad on 23 May after being shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Visuals circulating on social media and local reports indicated that several Pakistan-based wanted terror operatives attended the funeral, raising fresh questions about the Pakistani state's relationship with proscribed militant networks.
Who Attended the Funeral
Among those seen at the burial, according to social media visuals and local reports, were Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin and Al-Badr supremo Bakht Zameen Khan — both designated terrorists wanted by India. Reports also claimed that officials linked to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) were present at the gathering, though this could not be independently verified.
Visuals from the ceremony reportedly showed heavily armed individuals carrying AK-47 rifles and other sophisticated weapons deployed around the burial site, indicating an unusually high-security presence. Multiple armed cadres linked to banned terror outfits were also said to have participated, according to social media footage from the area.
Who Was Hamza Burhan
Burhan, also known by the aliases Arjumand Gulzar Dar and the codename 'Doctor', was allegedly one of the architects of the February 2019 Pulwama suicide bombing, which killed more than 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in Jammu and Kashmir. India's Home Ministry formally designated him a terrorist in 2022 for his involvement in multiple terror-related activities in the region.
According to officials, Burhan played a key role in radicalisation, recruitment of youth, and financing of Al-Badr operations from Pakistani territory. In recent years, he had reportedly been living undercover in PoK, working as the principal of a private college in Muzaffarabad, approximately 135 kilometres from Islamabad.
How He Was Killed
According to local police, Burhan was attacked on Thursday morning when he stepped out of the college premises. Unknown gunmen opened fire at close range, hitting him multiple times in the head. No group has claimed responsibility for the killing.
A Pattern of State-Backed Honours for Militants
This is not the first time Pakistani state actors have been seen at funerals of designated terror figures. Earlier in May 2025, Pakistani military officers, civil bureaucrats, and prominent terror chiefs reportedly attended funerals of militants killed during India's Operation Sindoor — the military response launched after the 22 April 2025 Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people.
Visual evidence from that period showed state-backed honours for slain terrorists belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), with coffins reportedly wrapped in the Pakistani flag and given military-style guards of honour in cities including Muridke, Bahawalpur, and Muzaffarabad. Critics argue these incidents point to a systematic pattern of institutional support for proscribed groups, a charge Pakistan has consistently denied.
The circumstances of Burhan's killing — gunned down in PoK despite reportedly living under a false identity — are likely to fuel further scrutiny of militant networks operating within Pakistani territory and their ties to state structures.
Point of View
Bakht Zameen Khan, and reportedly ISI-linked officials at the burial of an India-designated terrorist makes it harder to sustain the argument that Pakistan's militant networks operate independently of state structures. What is equally significant is where Burhan was living: not in a remote hideout, but as a college principal in Muzaffarabad — suggesting a degree of institutional accommodation that goes well beyond passive tolerance. India's strategic community will note that the same pattern of state-adjacent honours appeared after Operation Sindoor, pointing to a calcified institutional culture rather than a one-off lapse.
NationPress
9 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Hamza Burhan and why was he significant?
Hamza Burhan, also known as Arjumand Gulzar Dar and codenamed 'Doctor', was a Pakistan-based terrorist designated by India's Union Home Ministry in 2022. He was allegedly one of the masterminds of the February 2019 Pulwama suicide bombing that killed more than 40 CRPF personnel, and was also accused of financing and directing Al-Badr operations from Pakistani territory.
How was Hamza Burhan killed?
According to local police, Burhan was shot by unidentified gunmen at close range outside a private college in Muzaffarabad, PoK, on Thursday morning, sustaining multiple gunshot wounds to the head. No group has claimed responsibility for the killing.
Who attended Hamza Burhan's funeral in Islamabad?
Social media visuals and local reports indicate that Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin and Al-Badr supremo Bakht Zameen Khan were present, along with officials reportedly linked to Pakistan's ISI and armed cadres from banned terror outfits. NationPress could not independently verify all identities.
What is the connection to Operation Sindoor and the Pahalgam attack?
India launched Operation Sindoor in response to the 22 April 2025 Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people and was attributed to Pakistan-backed terrorists. Earlier in May 2025, Pakistani military officers and civil officials were reportedly seen at funerals of militants killed during that operation — a pattern analysts say mirrors the scenes at Burhan's burial.
Was Hamza Burhan living openly in Pakistan?
According to police sources, Burhan had been living undercover in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in recent years, working as the principal of a private college in Muzaffarabad, roughly 135 kilometres from Islamabad — despite being a designated terrorist wanted by India.
