INTERNEWTIMES.COM – The arrival of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik in Pakistan has sparked widespread concern among activists and critics, who fear his presence could fuel extremism and further strain relations with India.
Naik, who has been banned in several countries including India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the UK for his alleged extremist views, arrived in Pakistan this week for a month-long preaching tour. He is scheduled to deliver sermons in major cities like Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore.
The 58-year-old preacher, who has been a controversial figure since the early 1990s, is wanted in India on charges of money laundering and hate speech. Indian authorities accuse him of “promoting enmity and hatred between different religious groups” through his sermons.
Naik’s visit to Pakistan, his first in three decades, has been met with mixed reactions. While some see his presence as a way to fill the void created by rising extremism in the country, others worry about the potential for his teachings to incite violence.
“I am saddened but not surprised that Zakir Naik has been invited as a state guest,” said Pervez Hoodbhoy, a nuclear physicist and social activist. “This country is only adding more fuel to the fire.”
In Bangladesh, Naik’s Peace TV channel, which broadcasts his sermons, was banned after media reports linked the 2016 Dhaka Holey Artisan Bakery attack, which killed 29 people, to his teachings. The attack was later claimed by ISIS.
Amit Ranjan, a researcher at the Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore, has described Naik as “a radical Islamic preacher whose sermons and followers have caused problems and tensions in Bangladesh and the Maldives.”
“Being a state guest in Pakistan will not be beneficial to the country’s social and religious order,” Ranjan told DW.
While some, like political and social commentator Qurat ul Ain Shirazi, believe Naik’s visit could help fill the void created by rising extremism in Pakistan, others are concerned about the potential for his visit to escalate tensions between India and Pakistan, two nuclear-armed neighbors.
“Pakistan is already facing a lot of violence related to social and political issues, and giving Naik a platform will only add to the existing tensions,” Ranjan told DW.
Hoodbhoy said: “As a purveyor of hate speech, Zakir Naik has been banned from entering several countries including India. By giving him a warm welcome, Pakistan is announcing that it is committed to embracing fundamentalism and is willing to disregard global opinion.”
Shirazi, however, believes that Naik’s visit is unlikely to worsen relations between the two countries, as they are already strained. She also pointed out that Naik has been careful not to mention the disputed Kashmir region in his responses, suggesting he may be avoiding any actions that could further escalate tensions.
Naik has been controversial for his puritanical understanding of Islam and his sermons, which, according to media reports, recommend the death penalty for those who leave Islam. (Red)
