SOURCE: HT
India put international spotlight on Pakistan’s continued patronage to terrorism and terrorist organizations with a special mention to the D-Company– headed by Mumbai blast accused Dawood Ibrahim—during a debate at the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday. Hitting out at Pakistan after it unsuccessfully tried to internationalize the Kashmir issue at the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday, India pointed out the neighbouring country’ role in arms trafficking, narcotics trade and in harbouring terrorists and terrorist entities proscribed by the UN.
“An organized crime syndicate, the D-Company, that used to smuggle gold and counterfeit currencies transformed into a terrorist entity overnight causing a series of bomb blasts in the city of Mumbai in 1993. The attack resulted in the loss of more than 250 innocent lives and damage to property worth millions of dollars. The perpetrator of that incident also, unsurprisingly, continues to enjoy patronage in a neighboring country, a hub for arms trafficking and narcotics trade, along with other terrorists and terrorist entities that have been proscribed by the United Nations,” India said during the debate.
Indian agencies believe that Dawood Ibrahim is being protected by Pakistan’s ISI, which has further used his network for its own objectives. Pakistan, aided by China had attempted to raise Kashmir issue at the UNSC for the third time since last August to coincide with the anniversary of the revocation of the Article 370, but UNSC rebuffed the attempts calling it a bilateral issue.
During the discussions, India called out Pakistan for cross border terrorism and stressed that there can be no justification of any form of terrorism to counter Pakistan’s narrative on Kashmir.
“Terrorism is one of the most serious threats that mankind faces today. The scourge of terrorism does not distinguish between countries and regions. It is the grossest affront to the enjoyment of the inalienable human right to life and to live in peace and security. India strongly condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. There can be no justification of any form of terrorism. And looking for root causes for terrorism is akin to finding a needle in a haystack,” India said at the UNSC debate.
New Delhi highlighted that it has been a victim of terrorism sponsored from across the border and explained in detail the linkage between transnational organized crime and terrorism, stating that it had “first hand” “experience” of the “cruel linkage”.
India also urged the United Nations to enhance its coordination with bodies like Financial Action Task Force (FATF) which have been playing a significant role in setting global standards for preventing and combating money laundering & terrorist financing.
The FATF is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system. If Pakistan fails to comply with the FATF directive by October, there is every possibility that the global body may put the country in the ‘Black List’ along with North Korea and Iran.
Four of the five permanent members — the US, UK, France and Russia — had firmly sided with India against Pakistan and China’s joint attempt to raise the Kashmir issue.
On Thursday, India had asked Beijing to draw proper conclusions from such “infructuous attempts” and “firmly” rejected its “interference” in the country’s internal affairs.
