Maldives Insight

Pakistan’s continued allowance of Hamas representatives to operate freely within its borders and forge ties with local groups has prompted international scrutiny, raising questions about its commitment to counter-terrorism and its “major non-NATO ally” status with the United States. This situation arises as a U.S.-led intergovernmental organisation, the Board of Peace, established to promote stability in conflict-affected areas like Gaza, invited Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to join.

U.S. President Donald Trump, acting as chair of the Board of Peace, extended the invitation to Prime Minister Sharif on January 18. However, reports indicate Pakistan’s conduct in allowing Hamas representatives to participate in public events and form alliances with militant groups is seen as undermining Western efforts to diplomatically isolate Hamas.

Hamas Representatives Active in Pakistan

Dr. Naji Zaheer, Hamas’s special representative to Khaled Mashal in Pakistan, and Dr. Khaled Qaddoumi, special representative of Hamas in Tehran, have been observed actively engaging in political activities across Pakistan. Their presence and activities reportedly intensified following the events of October 7, 2023.

Dr. Zaheer has reportedly been a fixture at anti-Israel rallies and conferences, sharing stages with figures linked to U.S.-designated terrorist organisations such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM). Dr. Qaddoumi has also participated in rallies and events at Pakistani institutions since October 2023, in what is described as part of Hamas’s efforts to gather international support.

Engagements with Political and Militant Groups

Hamas representatives have engaged with leaders of several prominent Pakistani Islamist political parties. In October 2023, Dr. Zaheer met with Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chief of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), to discuss the situation in Gaza. Mashal reportedly lauded the JUI-F for celebrating the October 7 incident. Later in November 2023, Maulana Fazlur Rehman met with Ismail Haniyeh (who was killed in July 2024) and Khaled Mashal in Qatar, where Haniyeh praised Rehman for advocating for Gaza.

In mid-November 2023, Dr. Zaheer participated in an anti-Israel rally in Karachi organised by the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), which is considered to be a political front for Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). During this event, Zaheer reportedly led anti-Jewish chants. Further deepening these ties, a meeting in Doha, Qatar, in August 2024 reportedly involved Khaled Mashal, Dr. Zaheer, and Saifullah Khalid Kasuri, a PMML leader identified as a U.S.-designated global terrorist. These interactions have drawn attention due to PMML’s alleged links to LeT, an organisation responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Hamas representatives have also met with delegations from Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami, including Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman, its current Central Ameer, and former Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, who gifted Qaddoumi traditional Pakistani items in December 2023.

Governmental and Institutional Receptions

In January 2024, Dr. Qaddoumi was received by Pakistani lawmakers in the Upper House of Parliament. Senator Mushahid Hussain reportedly expressed pride in welcoming Dr. Qaddoumi, stating that “the Senate takes pride in welcoming His Excellency Dr Qaddoumi” and acknowledging a reported $1 million donation given by Pakistan to the “Hamas government.”

Dr. Zaheer visited the Karachi Press Club in January 2024, urging more anti-Israel protests. In April 2024, he was honoured at the Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA). In August 2025, he was a speaker at an “Awareness Programme for Palestine” at Riphah International University in Faisalabad.

Rhetoric and Regional Parallels

Public addresses by Hamas representatives in Pakistan have included strong rhetoric. In December 2024, Dr. Zaheer attended an “inflammatory ‘Death to Israel’ conference” in Peshawar, declaring the Gaza conflict a “war of Islam” that would continue “until Israel is eliminated and the Jews flee.”

Notably, events in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir have featured comparisons between the situations in Gaza and Kashmir. In February 2025, a “Kashmir Solidarity and Hamas Operation ‘Al-Aqsa Flood’ Conference” in Rawalakot reportedly included Hamas leaders and commanders from JeM and LeT. Indian media outlets reported that the conference aimed to equate the Gaza Strip with Jammu and Kashmir and present Pakistan and Palestine as united fronts against Israel and India.

International Implications

The extensive engagement between Hamas representatives and various Pakistani entities has prompted concerns that Islamabad lacks a serious commitment to counter-terrorism. Analysts suggest this conduct undermines diplomatic efforts to isolate Hamas and casts doubt on Pakistan’s status as a “major non-NATO ally” of the United States.

There are reported risks that Pakistan, particularly Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), could become a “fertile ground for Hamas to rejuvenate,” potentially posing a threat to Western interests in the region.