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On March 29, Pakistan’s Interior Ministry issued a notification it was banning the Iran-backed Pakistani Shia militant group, the Zainebiyoun Brigade. The notification became public on April 11 and signifies continuing Iran-Pakistan tensions since the two engaged in tit-for-tat strikes against alleged militant hideouts in each other’s territories. Though both sides officially announced de-escalation and the restoration of normal ties, tensions have simmered at the sub-state levels. Pakistan’s decision to ban the Zainebiyoun Brigade will further strain the already tense relationship amid a rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East. Before this, Pakistan has banned two obscure Iran-supported Shia militant outfits, Ansar-ul-Hussain and its offshoot, Khatam-ul-Anbia, under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) 1997 in 2016 and 2020, respectively, for recruiting Pakistani Shias to fight in Syria.

The Zainebiyoun Brigade emerged during the Syrian civil war to protect Shia holy sites in the country. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) recruited, trained and financed Pakistani militants to fight in Syria. In return, they were reportedly paid a monthly salary of $500-700, and the families of slain militants were given Iranian residency. Reportedly, the Zainebiyoun Brigade has around 1,000-1,500 militants in its ranks primarily drawn from Karachi, Parachinar, Gilgit-Baltistan and Quetta. Following Daesh’s defeat in Syria and with the outbreak........

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