DNA Exclusive: Dawood Ibrahim Poisoned? Who Is Targeting India's Enemies In Pakistan?

New Delhi: In a surprising twist of events, Pakistan is unsettled by reports suggesting that the notorious underworld figure, Dawood Ibrahim, may have been poisoned. However, Pakistan has neither confirmed the incident nor issued any statement in response. In today's DNA, Zee News anchor Sourabh Raaj Jain examined the veracity of rumors surrounding the alleged poisoning of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

Over the past 18 months, around 30 individuals deemed as adversaries of India have been systematically targeted and killed in diverse cities throughout Pakistan. The methods employed vary, from a terrorist being shot in the middle of the road to another being targeted within a mosque. Notably, a Lashkar-e-Taiba operative was abducted and killed near the Line of Control in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Officially, Pakistan's intelligence agency, police, and military have not identified the perpetrators responsible for the targeted killings of India's enemies. Pakistan attributes these incidents to "target killing," wherein assailants swiftly approach, identify their target, carry out the attack, and promptly escape.

DNA : क्या मारा गया Most Wanted दाऊद इब्राहिम ?#DNA #DNAWithSourabh #DawoodIbrahim #Pakistan @saurabhraajjain pic.twitter.com/hajb2QSGlx

— Zee News (@ZeeNews) December 18, 2023

On Sunday, another individual considered an adversary of India was killed in Pakistan. Reports indicate that Habibullah, associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed, was fatally shot. Habibullah had played a role in the Uri attack in 2016. Between March 1, 2022, and December 2023, approximately 30 individuals perceived as enemies of India have been killed in Pakistan.

- On March 1, 2022, Zahoor Mistry was shot at close range in the head by unidentified gunmen in Karachi. Mistry was among the five terrorists who hijacked a plane in Kandahar.

- On February 27, 2023, Syed Khalid Raza was shot dead in Karachi. Raza was closely associated with Hizbul Mujahideen leader Syed Salauddin and was involved in terrorist infiltration and recruitment in Kashmir.

- On March 4, 2023, Syed Noor Shalobar was shot dead by unknown assailants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Shalobar had been spreading terror in Jammu and Kashmir in collaboration with Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI and Army.

- On May 6, 2023, Paramjit Singh Panjwar, chief of the Khalistan Commando Force, was murdered during his morning walk in Lahore. He was listed as one of India's most wanted terrorists.

- On August 1, 2023, Sardar Hussain was shot dead in Karachi. Hussain, close to Lashkar leader Hafiz Saeed, had contested elections in 2018 on the ticket of Hafiz Saeed's political party.

DNA : पाकिस्तान में भारत के 'दुश्मनों' को कौन निपटा रहा है ?#DNA #DNAWithSourabh #DawoodIbrahim #Pakistan @saurabhraajjain pic.twitter.com/SCUlwDK8CJ

— Zee News (@ZeeNews) December 18, 2023

- On September 8, 2023, Abu Qasim Kashmiri alias Riyaz Ahmed was shot dead in a mosque in PoK. Abu Qasim was originally from Jammu and was the main conspirator of the terrorist attack in Rajouri on January 1. He had been spreading terror in Jammu and Kashmir on behalf of the terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba.

- On October 11, 2023, Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist Shahid Latif, the mastermind of the Pathankot terrorist attack in 2016, was murdered in Sialkot.

- On November 10, 2023, Lashkar's top commander Akram Ghazi was assassinated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Ghazi had been involved in recruiting for Lashkar between 2018 and 2020, preparing youth for infiltration.

- On December 3, 2023, Adnan Ahmed was shot in Karachi and taken to the hospital by the Pakistan Army. He succumbed to his injuries on December 5. Adnan was accused of conspiring to attack a CRPF convoy in 2016.

The ongoing process of eliminating individuals close to terrorists and perceived enemies of India in Pakistan is characterized by a consistent method. Most of the killings involve shootings, targeting individuals when they are alone, often with attackers using motorcycles. Pakistan labels these incidents as "target killings," and the attackers are not apprehended in any of the cases. Preceding the attacks, the assailants typically conduct reconnaissance of the target.

In a recent development, social media in Pakistan was abuzz with news on Monday alleging an attempt to assassinate Dawood Ibrahim, India's most wanted underworld figure. Reports suggested that Dawood Ibrahim was poisoned, leading to his admission to a Karachi hospital in critical condition. Access to the floor where Dawood is receiving treatment is restricted to medical personnel only.

Currently, the veracity of the news regarding Dawood's poisoning remains uncertain. However, given the pattern of eliminating India's enemies in Pakistan over recent months, there is speculation that Dawood may be targeted by the same network responsible for eliminating other adversaries. Dawood's inclusion in the list of India's most wanted enemies, often associated with terrorist organizations or leaders hostile to India, adds weight to the possibility of his being a target.