Fugitive Islamic Preacher Zakir Naik Receives Grand Welcome in Pakistan

The controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik wanted on alleged money laundering charges, arrived in Pakistan on Monday morning at the invitation of the government, amidst tight security for a series of lectures in Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore.

According to reports, Naik is scheduled to engage in public interactions across the country and is accompanied by his son, Fariq Naik, an Islamic scholar, who will join him on this tour.

Upon his arrival at New Islamabad Airport, Naik was welcomed by prominent leaders, including Rana Mashhood, Chairman of the Pakistan Prime Minister's Youth Program, and Syed Atta-ur-Rehman, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

Reports indicate that Naik's month-long tour will involve meetings with senior government officials and participation in various public events. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), his team announced the schedule for the Pakistan Tour 2024, with public talks planned for Karachi on October 5 and 6, Lahore on October 12 and 13, and Islamabad on October 19 and 20.

Earlier, during a visit to India on August 20, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stated that if sufficient evidence were presented regarding Naik's activities, Malaysia would "not condone terrorism." He emphasized the concern over sentiments of extremism linked to individuals or groups involved in such atrocities.

Zakir Naik is known for his inflammatory speeches and is currently wanted by India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with a 2016 money laundering case.

He is also accused of inciting hate speech. Naik operates the controversial channel PeaceTV, which has been banned in India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, and he has been denied entry to Canada and the United Kingdom due to his contentious views.

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