Who is Obaidullah Syed, the owner of the Pakistani company that partnered with US firm to sell high-resolution images of Pahalgam before terror attack

The US-based company, Maxar Technologies, has come under the scanner for providing high-resolution satellite images of Pahalgam and the adjoining sensitive areas just 2 months before the deadly terror attack that took place on 22nd April this year. It was additionally revealed that Maxar Technologies partnered with a Pakistan-based geospatial company, previously indicted by the US government.

Following the controversy, the US-based satellite imagery company removed the Pakistan-based Business System International (BSI) Private Limited as one of its partners. In a statement, the company also claimed that BSI did not place any orders for high-resolution images of Pahalgam.

The US government’s Homeland Security Investigation (HIS) filed a complaint against BSI as early as 2020. But this did not stop Maxar from onboarding BSI as a customer, then as a partner.

It is thus important to know about Obaidullah Syed, the owner of the Pakistan-based Business System International (BSI) Private Limited, which lies at the epicentre of the controversy.

Charges against BSI owner Obaidullah Syed

In September 2020, it was reported in the media that Obaidullah Syed was arrested and taken into federal custody.

He illegally exported high-performance servers, computing platforms and software application solutions to the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) from the United States between 2006 to 2015.

The other exports were made to research institutes that train PAEC scientists and engineers.

For the unversed, PAEC is a Pakistani government agency which is involved in the design and testing of nuclear weapon parts, uranium mining and the development of ballistic missiles.

The US government had designated the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) as an ‘entity’ which poses an extraordinary threat to the country’s economy, foreign policy and national security.

This, however, did not stop Obaidullah Syed from operating without a licence and necessary government approval from the US Department of Commerce. He was openly flouting the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and foreign trade regulations.

The accused deliberately misrepresented to the computer manufacturers in the United States that the shipments were being made to Pakistani universities and his businesses.

Obaidullah Syed also faked US government shipping documents and made a false list of importers in the ‘Shippers Export Declarations.’ At that time, the accused was 65 years old.

The Pakistani-American criminal owns the Karachi-based Business System International (BSI) Private Limited and BSI USA, which is based in Chicago. Both these companies were involved in carrying out the illegal exports. It claims to have been operational since 1980. It has branches in Lahore, Islamabad, and Faisalabad.

According to a report by The Investigative Project on Terrorism, Obaidullah Syed pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him in October 2021.

Obaidullah Syed sentenced to federal prison

In May 2022, the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois issued a press release highlighting the sentencing of the Pakistani-American criminal to a year and a day in federal prison.

The Business System International (BSI) Private Limited was also charged as a ‘corporate defendant’ in the conspiracy.

It had also come to light that Obaidullah Syed had forfeited $2,47,000 (~PKR 6.93 crores) from his criminal proceeds to the US government.

Syed’s criminal antecedents were exposed by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Defense Criminal Investigative Service, U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security-Office of Export Enforcement.

In a statement, Chicago-based HSI special agent Angie Salazar said, “This federal sentencing is a significant victory for HSI in our continuous efforts to prevent the illicit networks behind attempted thefts of our nation’s military assets and sensitive controlled technology. Let this be a reminder to our adversaries that the United States will stop at nothing to protect and defend our national security.”

The Background of the Controversy

According to a report by The Print, Maxar Technologies received 12 orders between 2nd February and 22nd February this year for high-resolution images of Pahalgam and sensitive areas like Anantnag, Poonch, Rajouri, and Baramulla.

The purchases were made on 12th February, 15th February, 18th February, 21st February, and 22nd February. No orders were placed in March 2025. One order for high-resolution image of Pahalgam was made on 12th April, i.e. 10 days before the terror attack.

Two additional purchases were made on 24th April and 29th April. Each high-resolution satellite image costs upwards of ₹3 lakhs.

The high-resolution images are used by defence agencies across the globe to monitor weapon installations, infrastructure development, troop movements, smuggling and illegal border crossings and conduct facial profiles of individuals walking on the streets.

An ISRO scientist told The Print, “Satellite surveillance has become the backbone of any country’s intelligence. While it is unclear whether these images could have been used for planning the April 22 attacks in Pahalgam, India could ask Maxar to conduct an investigation into the ordered images.”

Maxar Technologies has Government and Defence agencies as its clients. The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and 11 space tech startups have availed the services of the US-based company.

Maxar Technologies had partnered with Business Systems International Pvt Ltd (BSI) in 2023 despite being indicted in 2020 and its owner sentenced as recently as 2022.

It must be mentioned that a paying partner of Maxar Technologies can have access to the order of high-resolution satellite images placed by other partners unless it is ‘confidential.’

“The problem is that they (Maxar) are a business enterprise. They will provide services to anyone who is paying them…Of course, there are challenges when you depend on a third party for surveillance data. They have no obligation to be loyal to you,” an ISRO scientist told The Print.

Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor

On 22nd April this year, 4 Islamic terrorists sponsored by Pakistan killed 26 innocent civilians (primarily Hindus) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.

In response, the Modi government launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ on 7th May to avenge the killings.

India has so far displayed its military prowess through different phases of Operation Sindoor, striking 9 Pakistani terror camps, multiple air defence systems, 10 military bases and 2 radio stations.

This forced Pakistan to beg the United States for help and initiate a ‘ceasefire’ call with India.

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