New Delhi: The appearance of a senior Hamas commander as the chief guest at a recent Lashkar-e-Taiba-linked event in Pakistan has raised fresh concerns about growing links between global militant groups and Pakistan terror networks.
In an undated video doing the rounds, Naji Zaheer, described as a Hamas commander responsible for international outreach, attended an event in Gujranwala organised by the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League, the political front of Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Naji Zaheer is the current special representative to Hamas leader Khaled Mashal. Zaheer is believed to serve as Hamas’s special representative engaging with militant organisations abroad, particularly in South Asia. His repeated appearances in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) have prompted concerns about possible coordination between Hamas and Pakistan-based groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.
Soon after the 7 October 2023 terror attack on Israel, in which more than 250 people were taken hostage, Zaheer was invited to participate in major events in Pakistan as a guest of honour. He has become a regular at anti-Israel rallies and conferences in Pakistan. Zaheer often shares the stage with people linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM).
In 2023, Pakistan’s Islamist party Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam chief Maulana Fazal ur Rehman was also seen presenting an Arabic traditional coat to Zaheer at a public gathering in Peshawar. He pledged full support to Hamas’ cause, according to reports from the time.
Pakistan’s Islamist party Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam chief Maulana Fazlurehman presenting Arabic traditional coat to Hamas leader Dr Naji Zaheer at a public gathering in Peshawar and pledged full support to Hamas cause. pic.twitter.com/vBOX9MLd3y
— Izharullah (@Izhar2u) October 14, 2023
As part of Hamas’ efforts to gather international support, the Special Representative of Hamas in Tehran, Khaled Qaddoumi, has also been participating actively in rallies and events in Pakistan.
The developments come even as Pakistan’s military has publicly floated the idea of contributing peacekeeping troops to Gaza, a contrast to Islamabad’s contradictory posture toward Hamas.
Also read: Extremist groups gather in PoK – Jaish, Lashkar, even Hamas
Not a first
A similar gathering had taken place in Gujranwala in February 2025. As Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressed the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir Legislative Assembly in Muzaffarabad, a separate conference was held in Rawalkot that featured representatives from Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Hamas.
Among those present was Khaled Qaddoumi, Hamas’s envoy in Tehran.
The event was attended by PoK Prime Minister Anwarul Haq and other regional officials, alongside militant figures including Talha Saif, brother of UN-designated terrorist Masood Azhar, Jaish-e-Mohammed commanders Asghar Khan Kashmiri and Masood Ilyas, and senior Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives.
The decision to bring Hamas to the conference was also seen as part of Pakistan’s broader strategy to strengthen ties with Iran, with whom they are working to bolster diplomatic relations. However, tensions between the two countries, particularly concerning Balochistan and Iranian interference in Pakistani affairs, have been mounting.
Iran’s President, Masoud Pezeshkian, had promised to continue efforts to improve relations with Pakistan, following the approach of his late predecessor, Ebrahim Raisi.
Videos circulating on social media have shown large crowds gathering to welcome Hamas officials, with the envoy addressing supporters from the stage.
Some analysts, however, had downplayed the strategic significance of the events.
Political scientist and military expert Ayesha Siddiqa had described last year’s gatherings as largely symbolic and aimed at repairing the Pakistani military’s domestic image.
“After Gaza, the Pakistan Army became deeply unpopular,” she said, citing protests against the military, including rare demonstrations by Kashmiris. “Inviting Hamas was meant to signal solidarity with Gaza and project moral legitimacy.”
She had also said that many Kashmiris in Pakistan have historically believed the Palestinian leadership did not support their cause. “Allowing Hamas to participate was a symbolic gesture, more an image-building exercise rather than a meaningful strategic shift,” she said.
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)