ISI hems in ailing Dawood

NEW DELHI: India’s most wanted fugitive, Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar, is under pressure to leave Pakistan and may have suffered a heart attack.

Intelligence sources in New Delhi said the gangster, who is the prime accused in the 1993 Mumbai blasts, suffered the attack a couple of weeks ago and was taken to an Islamabad hospital. But no details were available.

The report about the heart attack comes amidst indications that Pakistan is finally tightening the screws on Dawood. His men are also under intense pressure elsewhere, especially in the UAE, their erstwhile safe haven in the Gulf, from where 10 members of his gang were deported to Mumbai on November 21.

The gangster, who has a new look after cosmetic surgery last year, is under constant pressure from government agencies in Pakistan to leave, the sources said. If he does leave, he is expected to seek refuge in some African countries. He has mining interests in northern Africa and investments in Australia.

After the media glare on his daughter’s wedding with Javed Miandad’s son last year, Dawood moved to Islamabad, where he has been leading a quiet life. A couple of months ago, Indian agencies reported that he visited Mecca on a pilgrimage.

The pressure on Dawood to leave coincides with Pakistan’s efforts to control the influx of terrorists in Kashmir. Indian intelligence agencies are yet to form an opinion if these are tactical moves by the Pervez Musharraf regime to impress the global community.