MUZAFFARABAD — Arjumand Gulzar Dar, widely known by his operational alias Hamza Burhan (or “Doctor”), a designated terrorist and key mastermind behind the devastating 2019 Pulwama terror attack, has been shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
According to security officials and media reports on Thursday, the ambush took place in the densely populated Cheela Bandi neighborhood on the outskirts of Muzaffarabad city.
The Ambush and Fatal Injuries
Despite traveling with an extensive, ISI-vetted security detail consisting of eight commandos, a bullet-resistant vehicle, and an escort vehicle, Burhan was successfully targeted by the assailants.
The Incident: Unidentified bike-borne gunmen ambushed Burhan’s convoy, unleashing a hail of bullets before fleeing the scene.
The Aftermath: Burhan sustained multiple critical bullet wounds. He was reportedly airlifted by authorities to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Rawalpindi, where he later succumbed to his injuries. Local security forces launched a manhunt, but the attackers managed to slip away unnoticed.
Who Was Hamza Burhan?
Originally a resident of Kharbatpora in the Ratnipora area of Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, Burhan crossed over into Pakistan in 2017 under the guise of pursuing higher education.
Instead, he joined the Pakistan-based, banned terrorist organization Al-Badr, rapidly rising through its ranks to become a top commander. He later realigned with another outfit, Al Baraq, while maintaining deep operational ties with Pakistan’s espionage agency, the ISI.
UAPA Designation: Due to his extensive role in orchestrating cross-border terror operations, the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs officially designated Burhan as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in 2022.
Burhan was heavily involved in expanding terror modules across South Kashmir, specifically focusing on indoctrinating and radicalizing local youth in Pulwama and Shopian. Indian intelligence agencies also identified him as the primary operative who successfully coordinated and supplied the explosives and grenades used in the February 14, 2019, Pulwama suicide bombing, which killed 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel.
Part of a Growing Pattern
Burhan’s targeted killing follows a highly striking, ongoing pattern of mysterious assassinations inside Pakistan and PoK.
Over the past few years, a long list of India’s most-wanted terror commanders—affiliated with outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen—have been systematically eliminated by “unknown gunmen” or died under suspicious circumstances. Just last month, LeT founding member Amir Hamza was similarly gunned down by unidentified motorcycle-borne shooters in Lahore.
