'He decides who will be Pakistan's prime minister, president, even provincial chief ministers.'
Author S Hussain Zaidi has just published his latest book From Dubai To Karachi: The Dawood Saga Continues.
Zaidi, a former crime reporter in Mumbai, began his career as an author with Black Friday: The True Story of Bombay Bomb Blasts (2002) in which he wrote how Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence, ISI, carried out the March 12, 1993 serial bomb blasts in Mumbai with the underworld's help.
Dawood was living in Dubai when the blasts occurred.
Zaidi's second book Dongri to Dubai (2012) traced Dawood's rise from the lanes of Dongri in the Muslim quarter of south Mumbai and was a fascinating read.
From Dubai to Karachi: The Dawood Saga Continues tracks Dawood's crime career after he shifted to Karachi post the Mumbai blasts.
"I don't think Dawood can play any crucial role in an India-Pakistan war. He is only a businessman. He will not send his men to fight against India," Zaidi tells Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff. The first of a two-part interview.
Dawood Ibrahim will be 70 this year. Do you think he still commits terror acts in India?
Dawood per se on his own does not have any anti-India agenda.
People have not been able to decode Dawood Ibrahim. He never wanted to work against India.
If you see the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts case you will find that the Indian government has only three statements against Dawood Ibrahim.
Only three out of 200 accused in the 1993 Mumbai blasts made statements against Dawood.
And in those statements, they said Dawood was only helping Tiger (Memon), the main accused who orchestrated the serial bomb blasts in Mumbai.
He gave Tiger landing spots (to land RDX used in the blasts).
After the 1993 blasts Dawood has not played a dominant role in terror activities against India.
During the David Headley interrogation into 26/11, where he was interrogated for 30 hours by the NIA (National Investigation Agency), they asked him what was his opinion about Dawood Ibrahim to which Headley said, 'Dawood is a businessman. He is not into terrorism and has no reason to be dedicated to the cause of Islam or jihad.'
But all his criminal activities are directed against India. Are you saying he is not active against India now?
Right now he is having fun in Pakistan. He is ruling (Pakistan). He has power.
He decides who will be the prime minister or president of Pakistan or for that matter even provincial chief ministers or members of the senate.
Dawood decides all these things, so why would he be bothered to work against India?
Do you mean Dawood is running Pakistan's deep state?
Dawood is the de facto ruler of Pakistan.
We have not read what you are claiming in the mainstream Pakistan media.
Javed Miandad in an interview asked who made Imran Khan prime minister of Pakistan and who ensured Imran should be ousted from power.
Now, if you read between the lines, you understand whose name Miandad is trying to mention. In his words, 'kuch log jo Allah ke pyare log hain, woh yeh sab kar sakte hain.'
Javed Miandad has openly stated that he is proud to be related to Dawood.
Dawood has been staying in Pakistan from 1994. Pakistan lost Osama bin Laden so they are very possessive about Dawood. They have guarded him very well.
In my book I have written about Pakistani actress Mehwish Hayat who has no real background in the film industry and yet she was awarded Pakistan's fourth highest civilian award (Tamgha-e-Imtiaz). How did she get this award?
Who will answer these questions? As a journalist I can only raise these questions.
I have visited Islamabad and Karachi and the people of those cities know Dawood very well.
What role can Dawood play against India in case of war with Pakistan?
He might be having his henchmen here, but I don't think Dawood can play any crucial role in an India-Pakistan war.
He is only a businessman. He will not send his men to fight against India.
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