Pakistan’s duplicity on terrorism and Kashmir was on full display as two parallel events unfolded in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) on "Kashmir Solidarity Day." While Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, speaking in Muzaffarabad, called for peace talks with India and urged dialogue to resolve outstanding issues, another gathering just 105 kilometers away in Rawalakote featured a brazen display of terrorism. This event saw the participation of leaders from Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), both of which have carried out deadly attacks in India, alongside Hamas representatives. The contrast between Pakistan’s rhetoric and actions once again highlighted its persistent sheltering and promotion of terrorism.
Sharif, while addressing the POK Assembly, stated that Pakistan wanted to resolve all disputes with India through negotiations and called on New Delhi to move past the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. He urged India to fulfill promises allegedly made at the UN regarding Kashmir and resume talks. However, India has consistently reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral parts of the country and that there can be no dialogue with Pakistan until it dismantles its terror infrastructure. New Delhi has long maintained that peace cannot be achieved in an environment rife with cross-border terrorism and violence.
Despite Sharif’s peace overtures, Islamabad permitted a provocative conference in Rawalakote, where top leaders of JeM and LeT openly participated. The event, titled "Kashmir Solidarity and Hamas Operation 'Al Aqsa Flood' Conference," was attended by Talha Saif, brother of JeM chief Masood Azhar, as well as senior figures Asghar Khan Kashmiri and Masood Ilyas from JeM, and top LeT commanders. Hamas's representative in Iran, Khalid Al-Qadoumi, was also present, marking the first time the Palestinian terror group officially engaged in an event in POK. The reference to "Al-Aqsa Flood" in the event’s title was a clear nod to Hamas’s October 7, 2023, terror attack on Israel, which resulted in over 1,000 deaths, rapes, and kidnappings, triggering a prolonged conflict in the Middle East.
At the conference, a JeM terrorist declared that Pakistani jihadist groups and Hamas had united, calling for the destruction of India and the "liberation of Kashmir." Slogans against the United States and Israel were also raised, branding them as the "children of the devil." This open alignment between Pakistani-based terror groups and Hamas demonstrated that these groups not only share a radical Islamist ideology but also have growing international terror links.
The involvement of Hamas in this gathering further underscored Pakistan’s ties with global terrorist organizations. Khalid Al-Qadoumi, Hamas's spokesman, also met with Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), one of Pakistan's largest religious-political groups. The JUI, once part of Shehbaz Sharif's anti-Imran Khan coalition, has a strong influence in Pakistan’s Islamist circles and is a significant street power. Its ties with Hamas suggest a deepening connection between Pakistan-based extremists and international jihadist networks.
The Pakistani government has consistently denied supporting terrorism, but its actions tell a different story. By allowing terrorist leaders and international terror representatives to gather in POK, Pakistan has once again exposed its role as a safe haven for extremism. India, which has suffered devastating attacks at the hands of LeT and JeM—including the 2001 Parliament attack, the 2008 Mumbai attacks, the 2016 Pathankot attack, and the 2019 Pulwama attack—has repeatedly called for global action against Pakistan’s terror ecosystem. The latest developments in POK further validate India’s concerns that Pakistan remains an unrepentant state sponsor of terrorism.
Meanwhile, in a separate move that further underscores Islamabad’s controversial global alignments, Pakistan has reportedly agreed to host 15 Palestinian prisoners freed under a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. This decision, reported by Arab News, adds another layer to Pakistan’s engagement with Hamas, reinforcing concerns about its growing ties with international terrorist organizations.
Pakistan’s contradictory messaging—calling for peace while platforming terrorists—reveals that it has not abandoned its long-standing strategy of using terror as a tool of state policy. Its continued support for extremist groups and alliances with global jihadist movements undermine any claims of genuine peace efforts. Given these realities, India remains steadfast in its position: meaningful dialogue with Pakistan is only possible in an atmosphere free from terrorism and hostility.
