Pakistan admits sheltering Dawood Ibrahim, claims to have imposed financial sanctions

Dawood's name appeared in the list of 88 banned terror groups Pakistan produced in its bid to avoid tough financial sanctions for helping terrorists.

Pakistan said it has imposed tough sanctions against terror groups and their leaders, including Hafiz Saeed, Masood Azhar and Dawood Ibrahim, by freezing bank accounts and seizing their properties.

In June 2018, Pakistan was put in the grey list of the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

The inter-governmental body that combats financial crimes asked Pakistan to implement a plan of action by the end of 2019, but the deadline was extended owing to Covid-19 pandemic.

On August 19, Pakistan submitted its initial draft report to the joint group of Financial Action Task Force (FATF), showing progress and compliance of the remaining 13 points out of 27 action points.

So far, Pakistan has been granted extension three times, each time for three months, to comply with 27 action points.

Out of the 27 points, the FATF had declared Pakistan fully compliant on 14 points and currently it is facing an October 2020 deadline to comply with the remaining 13 points.

According to Pakistani authorities, Dawood Ibrahim's address is "White House, Near Saudi Mosque, Clifton" in Karachi, Pakistan, media reports said.

He has other properties at "House Nu 37 - 30th Street - defence, Housing Authority, Karachi" and "Palatial bungalow in the hilly area of Noorabad in Karachi", the reports added.

India has long accused Pakistan of sheltering Dawood Ibrahim in Karachi, Pakistan's largest city and financial capital. India's assertion was also confirmed by the United Nations.

On August 18, Pakistan issued two notifications announcing sanctions against key figures of terror groups, including 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar, and underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, added media reports.