New Delhi: That Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, who is a wanted man in India, was “warmly welcomed” in Pakistan is “disappointing” and “condemnable” but “not surprising”, the external affairs ministry said on Friday (October 4).
“He has been warmly welcomed there. It is not surprising for us that an Indian fugitive, a fugitive from Indian law, justice has received a high level welcome in Pakistan,” Randhir Jaiswal, the ministry’s spokesperson, said at the regular media briefing.
Jaiswal added: “It is something which is disappointing, let me say, condemnable; but at the same time, as I said, it’s not surprising.”
Naik, who is accused of money laundering and hate speech in India, fled to Malaysia in 2016.
That year the home ministry banned his Islamic Research Foundation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, alleging that it partook in activities prejudicial to India’s security and having the potential to disturb peace and communal harmony.
On Tuesday Naik arrived in Pakistan for a visit scheduled to span close to a month, the Dawn newspaper reported, adding that sources in the religious affairs ministry said he had come to the country at the Pakistani government’s invitation.
Upon his arrival in Islamabad, Naik was received by officials in the religious affairs ministry and an aide of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Dawn also reported. Sharif and Naik met on Wednesday.
Jaiswal, the Indian external affairs ministry spokesperson, said he “was not very clear on what papers he [Naik] went there”.
A day after his meeting with the preacher, Sharif welcomed Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in Islamabad.
India formally asked Malaysia to extradite Naik for inciting terrorism after he fled to that country, but Kuala Lumpur had demurred.
When Ibrahim visited New Delhi earlier this year, he said, “We are open to any ideas and if evidence is submitted … we will not condone terrorism, but one has to produce a compelling case to support.”
Jaiswal noted at Friday’s press briefing that “there is an extradition which is pending” and that “we are pursuing that matter of extradition with the Malaysian government”.
