Pakistan’s Gujranwala became the unlikely venue for a strategic huddle between Hamas operative Nazi Zahir and Lashkar-e-Taiba heavyweight Rashid Ali Sandhu. Disguised as a PMML gathering, the meeting highlights Islamabad’s enduring support for jihadist causes, blending Palestinian resistance with Kashmiri militancy.
Flashback to February 2025: Zahir lands in PoK, mere weeks ahead of the Pahalgam massacre. There, he rallies with LeT and JeM leaders, vowing vengeance against India. This PoK foray follows a pattern of high-level engagements. January 2024 saw him in Karachi, captivating journalists. April brought honors in Islamabad.
The post-October 7 trajectory is even more aggressive. October 14, 2023: A meeting with Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, followed by a Peshawar speech with Khalid Mashal’s virtual presence. By October 29, he’s in Quetta for the Al-Aqsa Storm Conference, and November pairs him with Mashal in Karachi.
Sandhu, LeT’s political mask via PMML, hosted Zahir as chief guest. A dateless video shows them side-by-side, fueling speculation of operational synergies. Pakistan’s military-ISI nexus, now reportedly arming its own commanders, amplifies these threats.
This alliance isn’t rhetoric—it’s a blueprint for terror. From PoK rallies to Pakistani podiums, Hamas and LeT are forging bonds that imperil regional stability. India, fresh from Pahalgam’s wounds, watches closely as these ties deepen.
Global powers must act. Sanctions, designations, and diplomatic pressure are urgent to dismantle this terror infrastructure rooted in Pakistan’s soil. The timeline of Zahir’s visits exposes a network too vast to ignore.
