Kabul, Feb 22 (NationPress) Pakistan's military apparatus is reportedly granting radical Islamist factions such as Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood operational leeway, fostering support for local terrorist organizations, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), while also seeking endorsements from Islamic nations concerning Gaza and Kashmir.

However, this alignment amplifies the risks of miscalculations, ideological spillovers, and proxy entanglements across two already unstable regions: South Asia and the Middle East, as noted in a report released on Sunday.

The Afghan Diaspora Network's report emphasizes that to avert a new wave of proxy conflicts and armed confrontations in these areas, the international community must recognize Pakistan's shift toward the Middle East as a pressing risk management issue.

The report indicates that Pakistan has a long-standing history of supporting UN-designated terrorist groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) in their anti-India operations.

Even after Pakistan imposed a ban on these organizations due to international pressure, the report asserts that they still maintain an active operational presence through affiliates and front organizations.

“This is significant because when Pakistan simultaneously enhances its security presence in the Middle East, its overt support for Islamist terrorist groups transforms into a regional issue, rather than being confined to South Asia,” the report elaborated.

“Moreover, Pakistan’s mainstream political and religious platforms have increasingly extended support to Hamas representatives for propaganda purposes. In January 2024, a Hamas representative, Khaled Qaddoumi, was cordially received by Pakistan’s Senate. In February 2025, Qaddoumi participated in an event in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and met with notable Pakistani political, religious, and terrorist figures,” it added.

The report underscores that this indicates Pakistan's role in hosting Hamas to galvanize local and international terror groups against Western nations, Israel, and India.

“Hamas is broadly classified as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union, and its fundraising networks have been a significant enforcement concern in Western jurisdictions. The treatment of Hamas representatives as esteemed guests within Pakistan's political domains poses two major risks: first, it attracts transnational mobilization narratives to Pakistan's domestic Islamist ecosystem; second, it further substantiates the global perception of Pakistan as a state sponsoring terrorism,” it noted.

The report further states, “Concerns persist regarding the support for Pakistan-based terrorist groups from Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood. The mere presence of representatives from these banned Islamist organizations in Pakistan suggests systematic and operational assistance for LeT and JeM.