NEW DELHI: The central government on Friday reacted to controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik 's Pakistan visit , calling it "disappointing and condemnable but not surprising".
Naik, who is wanted in India for hate speech and terror-related charges, was warmly welcomed in Islamabad on October 1 for his month-long visit.
"We have seen reports that he (Zakir Naik) has been fitted into Pakistan and warmly welcomed there. It is not surprising for us that an Indian fugitive has received a high-level welcome in Pakistan. It is disappointing and condemnable but not surprising," Randhir Jaiswal, minister of external affairs spokesperson told media at a press brief.
Naik, who has lived in exile since 2016, also met Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif , who praised him for his "insightful and impactful" lectures on Islam.
Zakir Naik's Pakistan visit was at the invitation of the government and marks his first return to the country in over three decades. He will be delivering lectures in major cities including Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore.
Naik fled India in 2016 following allegations of money laundering and promoting extremism , and was granted permanent residency in Malaysia by then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed. His visit to Pakistan has sparked renewed attention, given his controversial reputation and ongoing legal issues in India.
Who is Zakir Naik?
Naik, 58, is the founder of the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF). A doctor by profession, he is known for delivering inflammatory lectures in English, unlike many other Islamic preachers who use Urdu or Arabic. He was born on October 18, 1965, to Abdul Karim Naik and Roshan Naik in Mumbai.
He attended Kishinchand Chellaram College and then studied medicine at the Topiwala National Medical College, where he obtained a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS). Naik attended South African Islamic preacher Ahmed Deedatʼs lecture in the late 1980s.
Why NIA and ED are after him
Naik is the founder of Peace TV, a channel on comparative religion with a reported audience of over 100 million.
It faces a ban in India in connection with alleged money laundering and hate speeches. India also banned IRF in 2016, accusing it of encouraging followers to promote enmity and hatred.
He fled India in July 2016 after Bangladeshi authorities claimed that one of the attackers on a cafe in Dhaka was inspired by Zakir Naik. The incident had left 22 people dead.
The NIA filed a charge sheet under Section 10 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and various sections of the Indian Penal Code, which has been replaced by Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The investigation revealed that Naik is the founding trustee and a member of an “unlawful association” – IRF.
Naik, who is wanted in India for hate speech and terror-related charges, was warmly welcomed in Islamabad on October 1 for his month-long visit.
"We have seen reports that he (Zakir Naik) has been fitted into Pakistan and warmly welcomed there. It is not surprising for us that an Indian fugitive has received a high-level welcome in Pakistan. It is disappointing and condemnable but not surprising," Randhir Jaiswal, minister of external affairs spokesperson told media at a press brief.
Naik, who has lived in exile since 2016, also met Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif , who praised him for his "insightful and impactful" lectures on Islam.
Zakir Naik's Pakistan visit was at the invitation of the government and marks his first return to the country in over three decades. He will be delivering lectures in major cities including Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore.
Naik fled India in 2016 following allegations of money laundering and promoting extremism , and was granted permanent residency in Malaysia by then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed. His visit to Pakistan has sparked renewed attention, given his controversial reputation and ongoing legal issues in India.
Who is Zakir Naik?
Naik, 58, is the founder of the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF). A doctor by profession, he is known for delivering inflammatory lectures in English, unlike many other Islamic preachers who use Urdu or Arabic. He was born on October 18, 1965, to Abdul Karim Naik and Roshan Naik in Mumbai.
He attended Kishinchand Chellaram College and then studied medicine at the Topiwala National Medical College, where he obtained a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS). Naik attended South African Islamic preacher Ahmed Deedatʼs lecture in the late 1980s.
Why NIA and ED are after him
Naik is the founder of Peace TV, a channel on comparative religion with a reported audience of over 100 million.
It faces a ban in India in connection with alleged money laundering and hate speeches. India also banned IRF in 2016, accusing it of encouraging followers to promote enmity and hatred.
He fled India in July 2016 after Bangladeshi authorities claimed that one of the attackers on a cafe in Dhaka was inspired by Zakir Naik. The incident had left 22 people dead.
The NIA filed a charge sheet under Section 10 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and various sections of the Indian Penal Code, which has been replaced by Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The investigation revealed that Naik is the founding trustee and a member of an “unlawful association” – IRF.
