Controversial Islamic Preacher Zakir Naik Meets Pakistan PM

Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik met Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Monday. Naik, who is wanted in India for hate speech and inciting communal disharmony, arrived in Pakistan on October 1 and will stay there until October 28.

On Tuesday, Naik also met other key ministers, including Pakistan’s Minister of Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar and Minister for Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony Salek Hussain. According to reports from The Tribune, Zakir Naik is scheduled to deliver public speeches in Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore. He will also lead Friday prayer congregations during his stay.

Naik has been living in Malaysia since 2016, after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a case against him under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. The case was initiated following the Dhaka terror attack in July 2016, where one of the attackers admitted to being influenced by Naik’s speeches on YouTube.

India has requested his extradition, but Malaysia has not complied with the request so far.

Aakhir Tak Editor-in-Chief

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