Hamas Leader Attends LeT Event In Pakistan: Decoding Recent Visits Amid Gaza Conflict | Exclusive

Last Updated:January 07, 2026, 14:44 IST

“While Pakistan publicly claims neutrality in the Gaza conflict, it is a clear message to the world that Pakistan will host every global jihadist actor,” say intelligence sources

Naji Zaheer at the event. (News18)

The presence of Hamas terrorist commander Naji Zaheer as the chief guest at a recent Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) event in Pakistan’s Gujranwala shows how local militant networks are offering global jihadists a platform, said intelligence sources.

“It is a clear message to the world that Pakistan will host every global jihadist actor," said sources.

On the one hand, Pakistan publicly claims neutrality in the Gaza conflict. “The host was not an ordinary political party," they said.

The event was organised by the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League, political arm for Lashkar-e-Taiba and the group behind the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Who is Naji Zaheer?

Zaheer is Hamas’s special representative or commander engaging internationally, especially in South Asia, where he’s worked to build ties with other militant groups.

His appearances at events in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan have raised concerns among security analysts about collaboration between Hamas and Pakistan-based terror networks.

Was it his first such event?

This was not a one-off appearance, but part of a pattern. Since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel, Zaheer has surfaced repeatedly at rallies and conferences across Pakistan.

On the morning of October 7, 2023, Hamas — the Palestinian militant and political group that governs the Gaza Strip — launched a large-scale, coordinated attack on Israel. It was the deadliest assault on Israeli territory in modern history, which acted as trigger for the ongoing war.

Zaheer was also seen in a high-profile visit to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in early 2025.

“This was an institutional push and not accidental presence," sources said.

Reports indicate Zaheer has shared the stage with affiliates of Jaish-e-Mohammad.

What it means

“It is an example of how Pakistan-based groups provide logistical, ideological, and political support to international extremist groups," sources said.

While Pakistani leaders gave the idea of deploying troops to Gaza as peacekeepers, such event show how Islamabad is legitimising Hamas directly.

Decoding what it would mean for India, Zaheer said, “These interactions raise alarm bells and collaboration between Hamas operatives and Pakistan-based terror groups and show the risk to internal security of India."

News world Hamas Leader Attends LeT Event In Pakistan: Decoding Recent Visits Amid Gaza Conflict | Exclusive

Read More