Why does Pakistan continue to protect Dawood Ibrahim? 

Reports that Dawood Ibrahim has been admitted to a Karachi hospital have been doing the rounds for two days. As per India Today, Dawood was hospitalised on Saturday and is being kept under tight security. Sources told the outlet the 1993 blasts mastermind is the only patient on his floor with access limited to top hospital authorities and close family. India has repeatedly stated that Dawood is hiding in Pakistan – a claim Islamabad has denied. But why does Pakistan continue to protect Dawood? Let’s take a closer look: As per ABP Live, Dawood reached an arrangement with the Inter-Services Intelligence to shift to Pakistan after 1993 blasts. The idea was that Dawood would be protected from other gangsters and Indian security agencies in exchange for allowing the ISI to use his resources. A piece in India Today similarly noted that Dawood remained an ace in the whole for Pakistan and allowed them to carry out attacks in India. An official told the outlet in the mid-2000s that “Dawood provides Pakistan an over-ground capability to strike with impunity anywhere in India and then deny its role.”

Another India Today report pointed to Dawood financing Pakistan’s terror activities.

It noted that the ISI promised Dawood protection in exchange for a 30 per cent cut of his earnings. The revelations were made by Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT) terrorist Abdul Karim Tunda in 2013. Tunda was one of the terrorists India had asked Pakistan to hand over after 26/11. As per ABP News, Pakistan’s strategy of using Dawood continued until 9/11 – after which he was forced to lie low. Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police wiped out the D-Company. In the meantime, Dawood made himself invaluable to the authorities by marrying his family members off to the high and mighty. This included his daughter marrying Javed Miandad’s son and his nephew marrying the daughter of a senior ISI agent. Meanwhile, Dawood has parlayed his ill-gotten gains into legitimate businesses such as real estate and hospitality in Karachi, Dubai and London. He no longer relies on smuggling and extortion for income, as per the piece. FPJ in October reported that Dawood was made the ISI’s additional director-general in an honorary capacity. “This is in recognition of the extensive services he has rendered to the ISI over the past several decades,” intel sources told the newspaper. Sources told the newspaper Dawood continues to work in concert with ISI over drug smuggling. He is said to be close to Pakistan’s senior generals and is under round-the-clock protection of the Pakistan Army’s special forces. Dawood fled India shortly after the 1993 blasts in which around 260 people were killed, and more than 700 were injured. In 2003, the Indian and the US governments declared Ibrahim a “global terrorist”. He is currently on India’s ‘Most Wanted List’. Indian authorities have often stated that Ibrahim lives in Pakistan’s Clifton area. Pakistani authorities, on the other hand, have denied that he was living in Pakistan.

But some have thrown cold water on the story that Dawood is in the hospital.

As per IANS, while the reports have taken the social media platforms by storm, many pieces of the story seemingly don’t shift. Even if the rumour is to be seen on its face value, the claim that Dawood has been poisoned by an unknown man seems to be far from the actual position on ground, especially in reference to the fact that he is an underworld don and India’s most wanted man. Reliable sources have said that it is almost impossible for any unknown person to have an access to Dawood as he is surrounded by his most trusted people, family members, close aids and security, who ensure that he is kept safe. “It is almost impossible for any person to have such kind of an access to Dawood Ibrahim. As I understand, he would be surrounded by his trusted security and aids. And even if he may be in Karachi or anywhere else, keeping him safe would remain as the top most priority of his people. So reports about him being poisoned by an unknown man do not fit at all," said one of the sources. Dawood Ibrahim is an elderly man now. At the age of 67, it has been reported that he has medical issues and maintains his health through various medications. It is highly likely that he may have gotten sick due to the some medial issues, if only any part of the rumour is to be believed to be true. The claim about presence of Dawood in Karachi is what India claims, referring to confirmations by his family members and their statements to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). In January 2023, it was reported that Dawood’s nephew confirmed to NIA that he had remarried in Pakistan and was living with his family in Karachi. “Dawood Ibrahim has a second wife. Her name is Maizabin. He has three daughters Marukh, Mehrin and Mariya, and one son Mohin Nawaz, ”Alishah Parkar, son of Dawood’s sister Haseena Parkar, had said in a statement given to NIA during November last year. With inputs from agencies