Dawood surrender makes for good TV debate not news: Former RAW chief
New Delhi, May 5: The news about Dawood Ibrahim wanting to surrender does make for good television, but does it make news today? How relevant are these debates on Dawood's surrender today?
Dawood Ibrahim: Political will the bigger weapon to nab him
Is the Dawood debate relevant at all today?Former Chief of the Research and Analysis Wing, C D Sahay discusses with oneindia the Dawood Ibrahim surrender issue.
Is
the
debate
relevant
at
all
today?
"
We
are
today
talking
about
something
that
took
place
in
the
1990s.
Does
it
have
any
relevance
at
all
today?
Do
surrender
of
fugitives
figure
in
causual
conversations?
It
needs
a
much
higher
level
of
involvement
and
deliberation.
Had Dawood been really serious about his surrender, he would have made the right attempt. In fact the manner in which he has chosen to go about it only has spoilt the credibility of the offer he has made, " Sahay says.
Would Pakistan have agreed?
"If the entire issue surrounding his surrender was that easy, the question that needs to be asked is would Pakistan have agreed to the same. It was clear that he had taken shelter in Pakistan and for him to get out of there, he would have needed their approval."
The terms of surrender would have to be set and this would have had to be done with the approval or nod of the Pakistanis. It is all not that easy and there is a lot that goes into all this. In today's scenario his surrender debate seems completely irrelevant," Sahay further points out.
Dawood upgraded to a strategic asset:
"It is a well known fact that Dawood has a roaring business which he operates out of Pakistan. When he took shelter in Pakistan, he and the ISI struck a deal which included a long term operational plan.
The understanding he had with the ISI is understandable and not justifiable. In fact Dawood had become a strategic asset to them. From a mere criminal and fugitive he had in no time been upgraded to a strategic asset not only against India, but in all other respects as well.
He was upgraded because of his access to large amount of cash which was being utilized by the ISI. Moreover he has a solid network which also comes in handy for the ISI, " says the former R&AW chief.
Why
would
he
offer
to
surrender?
"
The
surrender
offer
was
made
a
long
time
ago.
It
was
at
that
time
when
he
had
just
moved
into
Pakistan.
One
could
say
that
the
offer
of
surrender
could
have
been
made
with
a
great
deal
of
reluctance
or
hesitation.
He was still weighing his options and there would have been a time when he could have been missing home. From what can be gathered, Dawood's offer of surrender were not all that serious. He appeared to be reluctant and never took the offer to the channels which could have acted upon it," says C D Sahay.
Is
Dawood
still
in
Pakistan?
"Where
else
would
he
be?
It
is
a
well
established
fact
that
he
lives
in
Karachi.
As
pointed
out
earlier
he
has
become
a
strategic
and
Pakistan
would
not
want
to
give
him
up.
He has a facility in Lahore as well and we hear that there is a lot of internal moving of Dawood Ibrahim between Lahore and Karachi. Interestingly the entire Dawood surrender debate today ceases to become news, but yes it makes only for television debate," says Sahay.
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