Zakir Naik Meets Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif Amid Lecture Tour
Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, who is wanted for alleged money laundering, met Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday. Naik announced the meeting on X, stating, “Interaction with Prime Ministers Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.”
Naik arrived in Pakistan on Monday morning at the invitation of the Pakistani government, amid tight security for his lecture series in Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore. He shared a video on X showing his arrival at the airport, where he was greeted with hugs and a bouquet by dignitaries.
Upon his arrival at the New Islamabad Airport, he was received by top government leaders, including the Chairman of the Pakistan Prime Minister’s Youth Program, Rana Mashhood, and Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Syed Atta-ur-Rehman. Naik’s month-long tour will include public interactions and meetings with senior government officials. He is accompanied by his son, Fariq Naik, an Islamic scholar.
Naik’s team announced on X, “On the invitation of the Government of Pakistan Dr Zakir Naik & Shaikh Fariq Naik’s Pakistan Tour 2024 Public Talks: Karachi – 5th & 6th Oct, Lahore – 12th & 13th Oct, Islamabad – 19th & 20th Oct.”
Earlier, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stated that Malaysia would not condone terrorism if sufficient evidence is presented against Naik. Naik is known for his inflammatory speeches and is wanted by India’s National Investigation Agency under a 2016 money laundering case. His channel, PeaceTV, is banned in India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, and he has been denied entry into Canada and the United Kingdom.
Doubts Revealed
Zakir Naik -: Zakir Naik is a person who talks about religion, especially Islam. Some people think his talks are very strong and can cause problems.
Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif -: Shehbaz Sharif is the Prime Minister of Pakistan, which means he is the leader of the country.
Lecture Tour -: A lecture tour is when someone travels to different places to give talks or speeches to people.
Money Laundering -: Money laundering is when someone tries to hide money that was earned in a wrong or illegal way.
Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore -: These are big cities in Pakistan. Islamabad is the capital city, Karachi is the largest city, and Lahore is known for its history and culture.
Fariq Naik -: Fariq Naik is Zakir Naik’s son. He often travels with his father.
National Investigation Agency -: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is a special police force in India that looks into very serious crimes, like terrorism.
Inflammatory speeches -: Inflammatory speeches are talks that can make people very angry or upset, sometimes causing fights or problems.