Islamabad, Sep 17 (IANS) Pakistan, particularly Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), poses a risk of becoming an ideological and logistical safe haven for Hamas, a report cited on Wednesday.
It said that while the global community remains focused on Gaza and the demilitarization of Hamas, regions like PoK must not be overlooked where Pakistan-based terror groups targetting India could provide Hamas not only breathing space but also become breeding ground for resurgence.
“Since October 7, 2023 Hamas’ attack on Israel, Pakistan-based terrorist groups have held events in Pakistan with the participation of Hamas representatives. It is worth noting that Naji Zaheer, who is special Representative to Hamas Leader Khaled Mash’al in Pakistan, lives a normal life in Pakistan and is honoured by the local Pakistani authorities,” a report in Washington-based think tank Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) detailed.
“The penetration of Hamas within the power corridors of Pakistan is also evident from the meeting of Lt Gen (Retd) Muhammad Aamer, Pakistan Ambassador to Qatar with Basem Naim, senior spokesperson of Hamas on August 5, 2025 in Doha, where they agreed to acknowledge the issues of Palestine and Kashmir as part of the same battle,” it added.
The report stressed that marking Kashmir Solidarity Day on February 5, 2025, militant groups, along with the Pakistani military and government, held several events in the PoK, which were also attended and addressed by jihadi commanders and Hamas leaders.
“One of the biggest events was held in the town of Rawalakot in PoK, under the name of ‘Kashmir Solidarity and Hamas Operation ‘Al-Aqsa Flood’ Conference’ Khalid Qaddoumi, Hamas’s representative in Tehran, Naji Zaheer, along with Hamas leaders Mufti Azam and Bilal Alsallat, participated in the event,” the report noted.
It said, the event was also attended by Talha Saif, brother of Pakistan based terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar, JeM commander Asghar Khan Kashmiri, senior Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Masood Ilyas, and other top LeT commanders.
“Leaders of JeM and Jammu Kashmir United Movement (JKUM) thanked Hamas and vowed to work in close coordination with it for the cause of Jihad in Palestine and Kashmir,” the report highlighted.
According to the report on the same day in February, another conference on Kashmir was held in Mirpur in PoK, where Hamas Representative Sheikh Mahmoud Yousef Al-Shabki spoke, drawing parallels between Kashmir and Gaza.
“Pakistan’s largest religious-political party, Jamaat-e-Islami, has been asking on various occasions for the opening of a Hamas office in Islamabad,” the report noted.
–IANS
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