Who they are

Rahat Ltd is a money exchange that operates in Afghanistan and Pakistan. It has been used by the Taliban for their violent activities. The Taliban have used the organization to store and transfer hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The organization is owned by Mohammad Qasim Mir Wali Khudai Rahim[8] In early 2011 Qasim was a financial assistant to Taliban governor for Helmand Province Barich. In 2012 Qasim helped to transport weapons and ammunition for the Taliban.[9]

Musa Kalim owns and runs the Quetta, Pakistan branch of Rahat Ltd also known as the Musa Kalim Hawala. In 2011 most of Kalim’s hawala business consisted of transferring Taliban and smuggler’s funds. In 2011 Kalim also managed the transfer of funds from donors in the Gulf to support Taliban fighters.[10]

Rahat Ltd’s branches which were operated in Afghanistan and Pakistan are:

In Pakistan

Location:  Dr. Barno Road, Quetta, Pakistan

·         Alt Address: Haji Mohammad Plaza, Tol Aram Road, near Jamal Dean Afghani Road, Quetta, Pakistan 

·         Alt Address:   Kandari Bazar, Quetta, Pakistan 

Location: Chahgay Bazaar,Chahgay, Pakistan

Location: Chaman, Pakistan

In Afghanistan 

Location: Room 33, 5^th Floor, Sarafi Market, Kandahar, Afghanistan 

Location: Safaar Bazaar, Garmsir, Afghanistan

Location: Gereshk, Afghanistan

Location: Lashkar Gah, Afghanistan

Location: Musa Qal’ah District Center Bazaar, Musa Qal’ah, Helmand Province, Afghanistan [11]     

History

No information regarding the initial formation of Rahat Ltd is available. In a press release published on 20^th November 2012, the US Department of Treasury officially named Rahat Ltd a money exchange in accordance with the US government’s terrorism sanction authority Executive Order (E.O.) 13224 for being used by the Taliban to facilitate their illegal activities. Rahat Ltd has been used by the Taliban leaders for financing their violent and terrorist activities, which includes facilitating millions of dollars of transactions to support the Taliban governor of Helmand Province for planning and conducting operations in Afghanistan.[12] Other senior Taliban leaders regularly used Rahat Ltd to store and transfer thousands of dollars. In 2011 a member of Taliban arranged the transfer of $100,000 through Rahat Ltd and in 2012 an amount of $500,000 of Taliban funds had been placed in the Quetta branch of Rahat Ltd. [13]

Organization’s Message

Information regarding the Organization’s Message is not available

Target Audience

Information regarding the Organization’s Message is not available

 Tools

Not Available

Splinter Groups

Not Available

Annexure

Taliban

Taliban are a militant group of students and religious leaders who established the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in 1996 in order to end the civil war following the withdrawal of the Soviet forces from the region in 1989. The group led by Mullah Mohammad Omar follows strict interpretations of Islam including the implementation of hudood punishments. The Taliban was supported and recognized only by Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates. Taliban were removed from power by the United States forces after the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. [14]