You'd never guess this is one of the America's most wanted men, eh, Hafiz Saeed greet his followers. The US and India accuse him of being the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Hafiz Saeed says he just runs an Islamic charity, and in a rare interview accuses Washington of unfairly targeting his organization to please India.

America obviously takes this decision based on Indian dictation. Now it's imposing this new ban because it needs India's help in a warring time. I had nothing to do with the Mumbai attacks. And Pakistan's calls fed our India's reason against New York were just propaganda.

And he says the $10m US price on his head doesn't worry him.

The people of Pakistan know me, and they love me. No one has tried to approach American authorities to get this bounty. My role is very clear and God is protecting me.

India is still traumatized by the three-day assault on Mumbai, in which 166 people died including seven Americans. Both countries said they have extensive evidence that Saeed orchestrated the attacks with Pakistani government's help and India has repeatedly demanded he face an independent trial.

Despite the American bounty on his head, Istria Hafiz Saeed has little fear of being arrested. But as we always say he was alive so freely here in Lahore, there is little chance of a breakthrough in relations between Pakistan and its old enemy India.

And when the Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif went to Delhi recently to meet his new Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, Hafiz Saeed was vocally opposed.

If you say you're innocent, but until you are prepared to put yourself before the court to testify, India, em, can never move on, on you the obstacle to better relations between India and Pakistan.

India made the main issue to divert attention from Kashmir which is an area issue. Kashmir should be free and India must withdraw its hundreds of thousands of troops who are occupying the territory and give the Kashmiris the right to decide their future. We are not the obstacle to better relations.

And then Hafiz Saeed, the man with a $10m US bounty on his head quietly leaves.

It's time for Afternoon Press.

Andrew North, BBC News, in Lahore.