Time and again Indian agencies have tabled ample evidence to suggest that underworld don and 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts matermind Dawood Ibrahim has his base in Pakistan. However, the neighbouring country has been rejecting all such reports regarding Dawood's presence on its soil.

In an attempt to nail Pakistan's blatant lies over the issue, India Today TV spoke to a reputed Pakistani author and journalist Arif Jamal, who met Dawood in Karachi, the city where India's most wanted is believed to have his base in. Arif Jamal, who now resides in Virginia, United States, has written over 200 articles and was a contributor in New York Times. His book 'The Call for Transitional Jihad' exposes links between the ISI and Lashkar.

In an exclusive interview to India Today Group Managing Editor Rahul Kanwal on Newsroom, Arif Jamal revealed that he had met Dawood twice. Claiming that Dawood's brother Anees Ibrahim was his neighbour, Jamal said Dawood maintains a low profile and meets very few people.

Here's a transcript of the interview:(A short Intreview)

Rahul Kanwal: One sticking point between India and Pakistan is presence of India's most wanted Dawood Ibrahim in Pakistan. How Dawood survived so long without state coming down at him?

Arif Jamal: It is very simple, Pakistan's support to Dawood Ibrahim and his group is actually part of Pakistan's strategy to beat India and whoever is ready to act against the Indian state. So, I see it as a part of a bigger strategy and it is not only about Dawood Ibrahim.

Rahul Kanwal: By and large Dawood Ibrahim maintains a very low profile life and rarely mingles with people and journalists. You are one of few people who got to meet him. Explain to us how your interaction took place and what happened?

Arif Jamal: Not much is reported about Dawood Ibrahim in Pakistani media but a lot of Pakistanis have met him and he had a very free life in Karachi. In Karachi, it is very easy to track him. Although I did not have his address, I was able to get hold of his address. I set up an appointment with a common friend and I wanted to interview him. We met him but we couldn't interview him. However, I could see his life, where he lived. A lot of people in Karachi know him personally and he is doing plenty of property business in Karachi. The property dealers there would be able to tell you where he lives. Once a property dealer from Islamabad told me that Dawood is one of the top property owners in Pakistan now.

Rahul Kanwal: Can you tell us in which year this meeting took place? He has several houses in Pakistan, where did your meeting took place? Was it in the Clifton area of Karachi?

Arif Jamal: Well, I met him Karachi and I would not go beyond that. It was a defence neighbourhood and I am not sure whether he lives there anymore or not. Recently, I have heard that a lot of people shift from one place to another. If I give you an address it might be wrong. I don't know where exactly he is now. I moved out of Pakistan in 2007. Anees Ibrahim was my neighbour in the defence neighbourhood of Karachi.

Rahul Kanwal: What kind of security paraphernalia was with him? How difficult it was for you to reach out to Dawood Ibrahim?

Arif Jamal: For me, it was very easy both the times I met him. If he knows that someone is coming to meet him and tells his security guards to allow that person to enter the premises there will be no issue at all.

Rahul Kanwal: You are the first Pakistani national who said that he lives in Pakistan. Why has no one else dared to do it? Are they scared of him?

Arif Jamal: I am not the only Pakistani who has written on him, there are several other who have done so. There were pieces in 'The News' or 'The Newsline'. There is a book written on him, the writer knew him well. There are many investigative articles written pertaining to Dawood. I am obviously not the first.

Rahul Kanwal: How many times have you met him? How long were these meetings? What did you talk to him?

Arif Jamal: I met him a couple of times, it was a brief meeting. Just once I have had a comprehensive conversation with him. We spoke about everything but I was made to promise that it will not be made public.

Rahul Kanwal: Images we keep seeing of Dawood Ibrahim are from a cricket match in Sharjah and from late 80s. A new picture of him was released by Indian security agencies recently. How does he look like? Has he gone through any facial surgery? Or he look like as he was earlier?

Arif Jamal: Well, I think there weren't any facial surgeries. I am not an expert but I did hear rumours about his surgeries. But to my naked eye, I don't remember any difference. He just looked a bit old and worn out.

Rahul Kanwal: How big were his houses? How many people were there? Were there his family members as well? Did you meet his wife, children or anybody else family as well? Was there anybody else when you meet Dawood?

Arif Jamal: No, I did not meet any of his family members. There were plenty of servants and security guards in and around the house.

Rahul Kanwal: What kind of security cover Dawood has? Is it ISI, people from military, private security? Do you think Army and ISI protect Dawood and that's why he survived?

Arif Jamal: I did not check who they were but they looked very alert and well trained in their job. You see it would not be possible for Dawood or his gang members to survive in Pakistan if the Pakistani Army did not support them.

Rahul Kanwal: You say that you met Dawood in Pakistan. India says Dawood is in Pakistan. Pakistan denies that he is there. What should be done now?

Arif Jamal: I would not support any Pakistani policy of using 'jihad' as an instrument for a defence strategy. Dawood Ibrahim has nothing to do with the India - Pakistan relationship. I am sure the military personnel were aware of mine and Dawood's meeting. This is true for all the journalist who went and interviewed him. Pakintan officially denies the fact that Ibrahim is not in Pakistan but at the same they want the world to know that he is in Pakistan. I think it is a very well articulated strategy. Nobody could have met him withought the army nod.

Rahul Kanwal: You said that Anees Ibrahim was your neighbour in Lahore. He is also India's most wanted? What kind of social status he had? What is his address?

Arif Jamal: He was staying in Defence housing society in  Lahore. I first learnt about his presence while I was taking an evening walk. I was stopped by certain people at a certain road. As a reporter, I became curious and wanted to know who was living there. Through a journalist friend I got the chance to meet him. The interesting thing about him that I remember is that he wore a lot of diamond rings. Of course these people do not disclose anything about them that will be harmful for them. It was just a social meeting.

Rahul Kanwal: Do Anees and Dawood still use same name? Or have they changed it?

Arif Jamal: Probably they hide their names in other cases but when I met him he used his original name.