Monday, July 24 2006 11:27 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: Two days after India asked it to deport Dawood Ibrahim, Pakistan has maintained that the international terrorist is not on its soil and said he would be arrested straightaway if any proof of his presence is given.

"He (Dawood Ibrahim) is not here. However, if any proof of his presence in any part of Pakistan is provided, he will be arrested straightaway," Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao was quoted in the media here today as saying.

India on Friday asked Pakistan to deport Dawood as well as Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin. It also asked Islamabad to ban Jamat-ud-Dawa, political organisation of Lashker-e-Toiba terrorist outfit, and arrest its leaders immediately.

In a statement issued the same day, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry rejected India's demand.

Without naming Ibrahim or Salahuddin, it claimed the Indian list included persons who are not in Pakistan, or some of those who had been associated with the Kashmiri freedom struggle including the chief of a well-known Kashmiri political party that has representation and offices in Jammu and Kashmir as well as in Europe and US.

Sherpao made his remarks in the port city of Karachi where, according to intelligence reports forwarded by India to Interpol, Dawood resided. The underworld don later reportedly moved to Islamabad and changed his personal profile after he was declared a terrorist by the the US.

Interpol had issued red corner notices against him at the instance of India.