The Pahalgam terror attack killed 26 civilians in the Baisaran Valley on April 22. As per media reports, satellite images for Pahalgam saw an unprecedented increase in orders from Maxar Technologies, a US-based firm.
Maxar Technologies, a US-based space tech firm, is under the scanner after an unprecedented rise in orders for satellite images two months before the ghastly terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 civilians.
Maxar Technologies calls itself a ‘leading provider of secure, precise geospatial insights’. The firm offers commercial satellite imagery and uses Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery, that helps it pierce through clouds and darkness. The firm’s clients include government and defence agencies across the world.
According to a report in The Print, orders for high-resolution satellite images of Pahalgam increased to a dozen, an unprecedented number, two months before the terror attack took place on April 22. Between February 2 to 22, at least 12 orders were placed with the firm.
The orders started to appear in June 2024, just months after Maxar joined hands with a Pakistan-based geo-spatial firm – Business Systems International (BSI) Pvt Ltd. BSI’s owner, Obaidullah Syed, was found guilty for illegally exporting high-performance computer equipment and software application solutions from America to the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) and was sent in jail for a year by the US federal court.
“The very fact that a Pakistani company was taken on as a partner by Maxar without any background check is alarming,” a source, who has subscribed to Maxar services, said as quoted by The Print. “India should pressure such satellite imaging and data companies to stop operations with Pakistan,” added the source.
Notably, anyone who is a paying partner with Maxar can see the satellite images that other partners order, however, it is a confidential exchange if these hold strategic importance. The images and order dates are accessible, but their source cannot be tracked without the permission of Maxar, the satellite image providing firm.
Orders flocked the firm for Pahalgam in February 2025 with orders made on 12th, 15th, 18th, 21st and February. While no orders were made in March, a purchase was made ten days before the attack on April 12. Notably, two more orders were made on April 24 and 29, following which the purchases have not been made.
While this is not confirmed whether BSI made those purchases for Pahalgam satellite images, experts say the coincidence cannot be ignored due to the track record of BSI founder, Obaidullah Syed.
“The very fact that a Pakistani company was taken on as a partner by Maxar without any background check is alarming,” a source, who has subscribed to Maxar services, said as quoted by the website. “India should pressure such satellite imaging and data companies to stop operations with Pakistan,” added the source.
BSI has a criminal history, as reported by the U.S. Department of Justice. The company was involved in acting as a middleman for unlawfully facilitating the transfer of resources on behalf of Pakistani government agencies.
Obaidullah Syed, the founder of Chicago-based BSI USA, pleaded guilty in 2022 to illegally exporting goods from the United States without the required license from the Department of Commerce. He also admitted to submitting false export documentation between 2006 and 2015.
Syed was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison. Before his sentencing, he forfeited $247,000 in funds deemed to be proceeds of criminal activity, according to a media release from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
As reported by The Print, the BSI has now been removed as a partner on the website from Maxar Technologies, following these reports.
