Is Pakistan becoming Hamas’s new sanctuary? US report raises alarm

Washington: Pakistan is fast emerging as a new operational base for Hamas, even as the international community remains focused on demilitarising the group in Gaza, according to a report by the US-based Middle East Forum.

Since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, the group’s special representative in Pakistan, Naji Zaheer, has become increasingly visible at rallies and conferences, often sharing the stage with US-designated terror groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM).

His presence at such events highlights “Islamabad’s apparent tolerance, if not endorsement, of Hamas’s agenda,” the report said.

Anna Mahjar-Barducci, Project Director at the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), wrote in the report, “Zaheer’s footprint in Pakistan has expanded dramatically since October 2023, transforming him into a fixture at high-profile events that blend pro-Palestine rhetoric with jihadist networking. Living in the country as a Hamas special representative, Zaheer has addressed rallies and received accolades from professional bodies.”

Just a week after the October 7 attacks, Zaheer spoke at a pro-Palestine rally in Peshawar, attended virtually by senior Hamas leader Khaled Mashal, who “appreciated Pakistan’s support for the Palestinian people.”

Weeks later, on November 2, Zaheer virtually participated in the ‘Toofan-e-Aqsa Conference,’ a twelve-day protest in Karachi organised by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. During the event, then Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh declared, “I address the entire Muslim Ummah. This war is not just for Palestine; it is for the entire Ummah.”

The report noted that “Pakistan has emerged as a new ground for Hamas operatives. This challenges Islamabad’s credentials as a reliable partner in the global fight against terrorism—and raises questions about its status as a US Major Non-NATO ally.”

In January 2024, Zaheer visited the Karachi Press Club, where he criticised Israel and urged Pakistani journalists to “increase anti-Israel coverage.” Later that year, he attended a ‘Death to Israel’ conference in Peshawar organised by JUI-F.

The Hamas envoy in Tehran, Khaled Qaddoumi, has also been active in amplifying the group’s messaging through media briefings and events at Pakistani institutions, the report added.

“The spectre of Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir emerging as a sanctuary for Hamas’s ideology and operations may no longer be hypothetical. As the international community focuses on demilitarising Hamas in Gaza, it cannot ignore that Pakistan is becoming the next fertile ground for Hamas to rejuvenate,” the Middle East Forum concluded.