Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik was given a warm welcome in Pakistan when he arrived in Islamabad on Monday. Naik, wanted in India on charges of hate speech and inciting communal disharmony, will remain in Pakistan till October 28.
Zakir Naik was welcomed at the airport by Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Program Rana Mashhood, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Religious Affairs Syed Atta-ur-Rehman, Parliamentary Secretary for Religious Affairs Shamsher Ali Mazari and others.
In the evening, Naik shared a photo of his meeting with Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar.
According to a report in The Tribune, Zakir Naik is scheduled to deliver public speeches in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore and will also lead and address Friday prayer meetings.
Zakir Naik has been living in Malaysia since 2016 after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) registered a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (now the Indian Justice Code).
The NIA action came after the July 2016 Dhaka terror attack, where one of the attackers admitted that he was influenced by Naik’s preaching through his YouTube channel.
India has requested his extradition, but Malaysia has not yet complied.