NEW DELHI: The United Nations has confirmed six of the nine addresses frequented by designated terrorist Dawood Ibrahim in Pakistan and bolstered New Delhi’s claims that Islamabad was providing a safe haven to its most wanted criminal.
The confirmation of India’s stand came as United Nations Security Council’s ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and Levant) and al Qaeda Sanctions Committee deleted three of the nine addresses provided by India. Dawood is wanted in India for orchestrating the Mumbai 1993 serial blasts that left 257 people dead.
There has been no official reaction from the Indian government so far. However, sources in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) conceded that it was in sync with India’s “long-term assertion” that the don was in hiding in Pakistan. One of the addresses dropped by the UN committee from the dossier provided by India was similar to Pakistan’s ambassador to the UN Maleeha Lodhi’s address.
The dossier, prepared a year ago, was supposed to be handed over by National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval to his Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz. However, the recent stalemate in the talks between the two countries acted as an impediment. The dossier had reportedly claimed that Dawood has amassed a lot of wealth in the country of his residence.
Dawood was put on the sanctions committee list in 2003 and the entry has been amended since then ensuring that the underworld don faces a travel and arms ban. India and the US have accused Dawood of financing terror groups including al Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Toiba.
US blocks aid to Pak
The US blocked $300 million military aid to Islamabad as it failed to get a Congressional certification for “satisfactory” action against the dreaded Haqqani network, the Pentagon has said as it warned that it was in Pakistan’s interest to take action against terrorists.
The Haqqani Network has carried out a number of kidnappings and attacks against US interests in Afghanistan, the Afghan government and other civilian targets.