Dawood Ibrahim's D-company in Pakistan has diversified: US lawmakers told

WASHINGTON: Pakistan-based crime syndicate D-company, like Mexican drug organisations, has diversified in many other fields, US lawmakers were told today.

"Pakistan-based crime-terror group, D-company, whose origins lie in India, expanded Karachi's historic role as a drug transhipment point, and built a powerful transnational crime-terror organisation, in part from drug proceeds," Dr Louise Shelley, Professor, Schar School of Policy and Government, at the George Mason University told lawmakers.

Shelley claimed that the D-company has diversified.

"D-company, like Mexican drug organisations, has diversified. They traffic weapons, counterfeit DVDs, and provide financial services through their extensive system of hawala operators," he said during a Congressional hearing organised by the Committee on House Financial Services Subcommittee on Terrorism and Illicit Finance.

D-Company is headed by fugitive Indian underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

Wanted in India for a series of high profile crimes and terrorist attacks in places like Mumbai, Ibrahim according to US and Indian officials is now based in Karachi city of Pakistan.

Officials in Pakistan have denied his presence in their country.

India's sustained campaign against Dawood was finally acknowledged by America in 2003 when the US Treasury department declared him a global terrorist having links with al-Qaeda.

He also faces sanctions from the United Nations under its anti-terror resolution.

Vindicating India's position that Pakistan has been sheltering Dawood, the Treasury Department had said he was in Karachi and possessed a Pakistani passport under the individual category.

Testifying before the same Congressional sub-committee, Celina B. Realuyo, Professor of Practice, William J Perry Centre for Hemispheric Defence Studies, National Defence University, said a number of recent attacks in Kabul were planned and launched from safe havens in Pakistan.

The year 2018 has already witnessed many deadly attacks.

On January 20, at least 22 people, including four Americans were killed during a 12-hour standoff with security forces after gunmen dressed in army uniforms raided the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul, frequented by many foreigners, he said.

On January 27, an attacker driving an ambulance packed with explosives detonated them in the Afghan capital of Kabul, killing over 100 people and injuring some 158, according to Afghan officials.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mojahid claimed responsibility for the attack, one week after the attack on the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul, Realuyo said.