Missing the spark of suspended winger Achraf Bencharki, Zamalek struggled for openings and could only create a few goal-scoring opportunities as they settled for their second draw of the season.
Pharco held firm and were at times dangerous on the break as Zamalek were denied the chance to open up a three-point lead on top of the Egyptian Premier League table.
Last Saturday, Zamalek took full advantage of Ahly's first defeat of the season to go level on points with them on top, but they have now wasted the chance to further heap pressure on their perennial Cairo rivals.
Although Zamalek have 32 points, with Ahly second on 31, the latter can pull five points clear if they win their two games in hand.
Pharco, who last month named Portuguese Nuno Almeida as their new coach, are eighth in the table with 18 points from 14 games.
Although Pharco did not resort to deep defending, their massed ranks in their own half left little space for Zamalek to operate.
Zamalek coach Jesualdo Ferreira introduced youngster Sayed Abdallah instead of Morocco's Bencharki, and although he caught the eyes with his trickery, his inexperience showed as his finishing touches were not accurate.
The Cairo giants still had a couple of chances in the first half, with defensive midfielder Tarek Hamed narrowly missing the target with a volley from the edge of the area and defender Mahmoud Alaa heading just wide from a corner.
Ferreira introduced key midfielder Emam Ashour, who scored the winner in Zamalek's 1-0 victory over Maqassa on Saturday, and Egypt left-back Ahmed Fattouh in the second half but the team failed to carve out opportunities despite pushing forward en masse.
It was Pharco who could have snatched a surprise win in the 52nd minute when Ahmed Sherif's lob over the advancing keeper went just over the bar following a miscued defensive clearance.
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