India Challenges Pakistan at UN, Raises Dawood Ibrahim's Terror Links and Questions UN Report

India has strongly challenged Pakistan’s statements at the United Nations, raising the issue of fugitive underworld figure Dawood Ibrahim and criticising what it described as factual inaccuracies in a UN counterterrorism report. Speaking during a dialogue at the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee on October 21, 2026, India’s First Secretary, Raghoo Puri, challenged a report by UN Special Rapporteur Ben Saul that described Dawood Ibrahim’s D-Company as an India-based criminal organisation with links to terrorism.

Puri argued that the report failed to adequately acknowledge that Dawood Ibrahim has been wanted in India in connection with the 1993 Mumbai serial bombings. He also referred to the UN Security Council’s sanctions framework, which listed Dawood Ibrahim in 2003 over his association with Al-Qaeda. The Indian diplomat maintained that the report’s description presented an incomplete picture of the organisation’s history and the allegations against its leader. He called for greater accuracy and accountability in reports prepared by UN experts.

Responding to remarks by the Pakistani delegation, Puri rejected its statements concerning India and Jammu and Kashmir, describing them as politically motivated propaganda. He reiterated India’s position that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral parts of the country. Puri also argued that human rights frameworks should not be used to justify terrorism, radicalisation or extremism. He stressed that international efforts to protect human rights must go hand in hand with accountability for terrorist activities.

The exchange highlights continuing disagreements between India and Pakistan at international forums, particularly over terrorism, Dawood Ibrahim’s presence in Pakistan and competing claims about the region’s security situation. India’s intervention also raises broader questions about the accuracy and impartiality of international counterterrorism reporting. The dispute is likely to keep the issue of cross-border terrorism and the responsibilities of international institutions in focus.

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