When it comes to a mention about underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, Pakistan, that harboured him for nearly 20 years, has famously and always been in a state of denial. India too, in a different manner, is in a state of denial about his actual whereabouts. So much so, when everyone knew where exactly
Dawood was holed up for many years, India kept looking for ‘proof’ to assert its right to seek his extradition. One of the promises of the first Modi government, at its very outset, was to get Dawood back to India and make him face trial for his heinous crimes. Successive governments slept over the matter. Feelings are rife that the leaderships wanted to avoid strong actions or calling a spade a spade.
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A new frenzy about Dawood is evident in Indian media after Pakistan added his name this past week to a list of banned terrorists and uploaded this on the website of Pakistan’s ministry of foreign affairs. Word also spread that this was another of Pakistan’s deceitful acts to escape blacklisting by international financial funding watchdogs. The Paris-based International Financial Action Task Force had put Pakistan in the grey list, two years ago, stating that funding will be blocked if it failed to take action against terrorists and their outfits in its soil. This is seen as the context in which Pakistan, hard for cash, sought to create an impression it was acting against Dawood and imposed sanctions on him. Interestingly, the UAE had ordered seizure of Dawood’s assets in that emirate four years ago on several counts of law violations.
Dawood is believed to be the mastermind of the Mumbai blasts and ensuing riots by way of a retaliation to the demolition of the Babri Masjid by the VHP-BJP crowd, after he reigned supreme in the underworld in the western metropolis for many years. After his exit from India and seeking sanctuary in Pakistan, he is known to have masterminded several lethal hits on India. Many also believe he had a hand in the serial Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008, which held the city to ransom for days and killed nearly 170 people. While that attack was reportedly masterminded by the Lashkar-e-Taiba, Dawood’s footprint was prominently noted in its planning. Dawood frequented Dubai from his base in Pakistan and had huge underworld and other business interests in the UAE. He openly engaged in and brokered deals even while Indian diplomatic presence was prominent. He could travel around the world and yet India was helpless to rope him in. Reports are that Dawood is given sanctuary in Pakistan by the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) indicating the top military brass was taking interest in his security. The Pakistani political establishment has little say in such matters as the military calls much of the shots and democracy is, even in the best of times, a sham of sorts. The Indian leadership, lacking the nerve to confront situations, often thought it fit to feign ignorance or look the other way. This became applicable in most cases, be it about the presence of Dawood in Pakistan or of border encroachments and usurpation of land by the Chinese PLA off and on along the northern regions.
There might be a notion of a reduction in terrorist activities across India and even in Kashmir because news reporting has been completely brought under control by the government. The busting of a terrorist module in Delhi recently, with stocks of explosives to target key installations on Independence Day is an eye opener. This and the continuing infiltrations of trained and motivated terrorists in Kashmir Valley even after the Centre took direct control of the erstwhile state means there is no guarantee to future safety. Beirut is bleeding and the sights are before us. The presence of the likes of Dawood in Pakistan only adds to the neighbour’s mischief potential. At the same time, India is faced with a larger threat from China as well.
These are times for the leadership to act in ways as to acquit themselves honourably from the given situations. A change of government every five years was a dampener. But, with the present dispensation getting full ten years at a stretch, this was hoped to be a time to settle many serious issues confronting the nation.
Unfortunately, the sincerity of purpose seems to be lacking at top command level.
