India Strongly Rejects UN Report Labeling Dawood Ibrahim as Resident of India

United Nations, October 22 (Daily Kiran) : India has expressed strong objections to a recent United Nations report that describes wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim as a “resident of India.” The Indian government argues that such misinformation severely undermines the credibility of the UN.

Raghu Puri, First Secretary at India’s Permanent Mission to the UN, criticized the report released in July by Ben Saul, the UN Special Rapporteur on terrorism and human rights. Puri highlighted “serious and evident errors” in the report, suggesting a lack of competence in its preparation. He noted that special rapporteurs do not receive direct salaries from the UN and are expected to work independently.

According to the watchdog organization UN Watch, Ben Saul has received $150,000 in funding from China. Overall, he has reportedly secured $1.7 million in financial support from various sources, including three universities in the United States and institutions in Switzerland and Spain.

In his report, Saul identified Dawood Ibrahim as the leader of the “D-Company,” a criminal gang linked to terrorist activities in India. The report also stated that Ibrahim was placed on the UN Security Council’s sanctions list due to his connections with al-Qaeda.

Responding to this, Puri stated, “Reading this line in isolation presents a picture that is completely different from the actual situation.” He emphasized that Ibrahim and his organization have been wanted in connection with terrorist attacks in India since 1993.

Puri pointed out that the official details released under the Security Council’s 1267 sanctions regime clearly state this, yet Saul failed to include this information in his report. He lamented that the report does not mention that Ibrahim resides outside of India and has been a wanted terrorist for an extended period. This omission, he argued, is unfortunate and damages the UN’s reputation.

At India’s request, Interpol has issued a Red Corner Notice against Dawood Ibrahim, alerting law enforcement agencies worldwide to be on the lookout for him. Puri clarified that Ibrahim fled India well before being designated an international terrorist by the UN in 2003. He added that while living outside India, Ibrahim was included in the sanctions list due to his ties to al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden.

Puri reiterated that the framework for human rights should not provide refuge for terrorists or those promoting extremism. He stated that terrorism cannot be justified under any circumstances. India has expressed concern over media reports regarding the special rapporteur’s office and hopes that those in such positions will uphold the highest standards of integrity, fairness, and transparency.

Targeting Pakistan, which has raised the issue of Kashmir, Puri remarked, “Everyone in this room knows that the statements made against my country, including references to Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, are propaganda for narrow political interests.” He reaffirmed that Jammu and Kashmir, along with Ladakh, are integral parts of India and will always remain so.