When Advani asked Musharraf to handover Dawood

New Delhi: In 2001, L K Advani asked Pervez Musharraf to handover Dawood Ibrahim to India. A red-faced Pakistani ruler emphatically denied that the underworld don was in his country, a claim that a Pakistani official later said was a "white lie", the veteran BJP leader wrote on his blog on Sunday.

Recalling his meeting with Musharraf on the eve of the botched peace summit in 2001, Mr. Advani in his blog, wrote that he had asked Musharraf to handover the most-wanted fugitive to India for building trust between the two countries.

"Musharraf, his unease palpable, replied assertively: 'Mr. Advani, let me tell you emphatically that Dawood Ibrahim is not in Pakistan'."

But "later, one of the Pakistani officials who was present during the meeting, said to me, 'What our president said about Dawood Ibrahim on that day was a white lie'," wrote Mr. Advani.

Mr. Advani in the latest blog entry likened the "white lie" about Dawood to that Pakistanis had been feeding to Americans all these years about Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

"It was the same kind of lie that the Pakistanis have been feeding to Americans all these years about Osama," Mr. Advani wrote.

The BJP leader said the three-floored hideout for Osama and his family in Abbottabad was constructed in 2005.

"It would thus be reasonable to believe that the decision was taken when General Musharraf was in total command of the situation in that country."

The BJP leader said he suggested to the Pakistani ruler that divided families on the both sides have never visited their native places after migrating to either side.

"Isn't it odd that this should be the case even after the passage of more than a half-century? Shouldn't we find an enduring solution to the issues that are keeping our two countries and two peoples apart?"

Mr. Musharraf agreed. "Of course, we must. What are your ideas," he asked Mr. Advani.

When Mr. Advani replied that the "most important thing" was to build trust in each other, Mr. Musharraf "nodded in agreement, and asked how that could be done".

The BJP leader touched the idea of having an extradition treaty between the two countries to which Musharraf, "not quite knowing where the conversation was headed", replied: "Yes, why not? We should have an extradition treaty between our two countries."

Mr. Advani then asked him to make a "great contribution to the peace process if you handed over to India Dawood Ibrahim, who is the prime accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts case and who lives in Karachi".

"Musharraf's face suddenly turned red and unfriendly. Hardly able to conceal his discomfort, he said something that I regarded as quite offensive," Mr. Advani wrote, adding the general described it as "small tactics".

According to Mr. Advani this is how the entire conversation happened

Our initial banter was centred around the fact that both of us had studied at St. Patrick's High School in Karachi. After exchanging pleasantries, I said, 'General, although you were born in Delhi, you are visiting your birthplace for the first time after fifty-three years. Similarly, although I was born in Karachi, I have visited my birthplace only once after Partition, and that too for a very brief while. And there are lakhs of families on both sides that are not even as fortunate as we are; they have never visited their native places after migrating to this or that side. Isn't it odd that this should be the case even after the passage of more than a half-century?  Shouldn't we find an enduring solution to the issues that are keeping our two countries and two peoples apart?'

'Of course, we must,' Musharraf observed. 'What are your ideas?'

The most important thing is to build trust in each other.'

He nodded in agreement, and again asked how that could be done.

'Well, I'll give you an example. I have just come back from a fruitful visit to Turkey. I understand that you have a special liking for Turkey, having spent your formative years in that country'.

'Yes, my father was posted there. I can speak fluent Turkish'.

'I had gone there to conclude an extradition treaty between India and Turkey. Now, what great need does India have for an extradition treaty with Turkey? If an extradition treaty is needed, it is between India and Pakistan, so that criminals committing a crime in one country and hiding in another can be sent back to face trial.'

Musharraf's first response, not quite knowing where the conversation was headed, was: 'Yes, why not?  We should have an extradition treaty between our two countries.'

'Even before we conclude a formal extradition treaty, you would be making a great contribution to the peace process if you handed over to India Dawood Ibrahim, who is the prime accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts case and who lives in Karachi,' I continued. Musharraf's face suddenly turned red and unfriendly. Hardly able to conceal his discomfort, he said something that I regarded as quite offensive.

'Now, Mr. Advani, that is small tactics,' he remarked. I could sense a sudden change in the atmosphere in the room, in which five Indian officials were seated on one side and five from Pakistan on the other.

I said, 'Well, General, you are a military man and you think in terms of strategy and tactics.  In Agra, Prime Minister Vajpayee and you are going to discuss the strategy of creating enduring peace between India and Pakistan. The people of both countries will be watching the outcome of the Agra summit with great hope.  But let me tell you, as India's Home Minister and as one who has been in public life for over fifty years that, as far as the people of India are concerned, your one single act of handing over Dawood Ibrahim to India will generate enormous amount of trust in you and in your country, and make the common Indian citizen perceive Gen.Musharraf as different from all earlier leaders. In any case, there have been instances all over the world where criminals have been extradited by one country to the other without a formal extradition treaty between the two.'

Musharraf, his unease palpable, replied assertively: 'Mr. Advani, let me tell you emphatically that Dawood Ibrahim is not in Pakistan.' 

Later, one of the Pakistani officials who was present during the meeting, said to me, 'What our President said about Dawood Ibrahim on that day was a white lie.' It was the same kind of lie that the Pakistanis have been feeding to Americans all these years about Osama.