In a development that underscores Pakistan’s deep ties to global terrorism, senior commanders from Hamas and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) have held a high-profile meeting in the city of Gujranwala. The encounter, captured in a widely circulated video, took place during an event organized by the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), where Hamas leader Nazi Zahir shared the stage with LeT’s political frontman Rashid Ali Sandhu.
This isn’t an isolated incident. Just weeks before the deadly terrorist attack in India’s Pahalgam in April 2025, Zahir visited Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), addressing a joint rally alongside LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed commanders. The rally spewed anti-India rhetoric, signaling a renewed collaboration between Palestinian militants and South Asian jihadist groups.
Zahir’s frequent trips to Pakistan paint a troubling picture. In January 2024, he spoke at the Karachi Press Club. By April, he was honored by the Islamabad High Court Bar Association. His visits intensified after the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel. On October 14, he met Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman and addressed conferences in Peshawar and Quetta, often alongside Hamas figures like Khalid Mashal via video link.
Rashid Ali Sandhu, meanwhile, operates as LeT’s political facade through PMML, providing cover for the group’s operations. Media reports confirm Zahir was the chief guest at the Gujranwala event, where the two leaders appeared together, exchanging pleasantries on stage.
These meetings come as Pakistan faces accusations of sponsoring terrorism, including recent reports of its army training ISI commanders and supplying arms. The Hamas-LeT nexus raises alarms about coordinated threats to India and beyond, potentially fueling attacks in Jammu and Kashmir and the Middle East.
As intelligence agencies monitor these alliances, the international community must confront Pakistan’s role in harboring and facilitating terrorist networks. The video evidence serves as a stark reminder that words of denial from Islamabad ring hollow against such blatant collaborations.
