Pakistan finally admits Dawood Ibrahim is on their soil

New Delhi, Aug 22: Dawood Ibrahim lives in Karachi. The admission comes from the Pakistan government for the first time after years of denial that he is not on their soil.

The admission by Pakistan came in a list of 88 banned terror groups that were disclosed as part of its efforts to get out of the tough financial sanctions for helping terrorists and their organisations.

Pakistan said that it had imposed tough financial sanctions on terror groups and its leaders. The country said that it had imposed tough sanctions on terror leaders such as Maulana Masood Azhar and Dawood Ibrahim by ordering seizure of all their properties and also freezing of their bank accounts.

Giving out details of the Mumbai serial blasts accused, Pakistan said that he was born in Kher, Ratnagiri. It also says that he lives now in Karachi.

Confirming what the Indian agencies have always said Pakistan says that he lives in Clifton Karachi near the Saudi Mosque. Pakistan further notes that his house is at the 30th Street Defence Housing Authority, Karachi. Further Pakistan also says that he lives in a palatial bungalow in the hilly area of Noorabad in Karachi.

It may be recalled that the Pakistan government had on August 18 issued two notifications announcing sanctions on Lashkar-e-Tayiba chief, Hafiz Saeed and Jaish-e-Mohammad boss, Maulana Masood Azhar.

The notification was also issued in the case of Dawood Ibrahim, who is wanted by India in connection with the Mumbai serial blasts.

The move comes in the wake of the Financial Action Task Force putting Pakistan on the grey list in June 2018. Islamabad had been asked to implement a plan of action by the end of 2019, but the same was postponed in the wake of the outbreak of the pandemic.

Pakistan which has for nearly three decades denied the existence of Dawood Ibrahim on its soil has now said in an official document that he lives in White House, Near Saudi Mosque, Clifton" in Karachi, Pakistan. He also has other properties listed as "House Nu 37 - 30th Street - defence, Housing Authority, Karachi" and "Palatial bungalow in the hilly area of Noorabad in Karachi.

Dawood is also accused of being a major funder of terror activities in India. He also faces charges of money laundering and extortion. He is also a major funder of terror groups such as the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Al-Qaeda.

An Intelligence Bureau official who OneIndia spoke with said that this only asserts their claim. We have been saying for more than 20 years that Pakistan has been sheltering Dawood Ibrahim.

They continued to deny the same, but with the pressure from the FATF increasing, they had no choice but to admit to the fact that Dawood is on their soil and they have been protecting him.