Zakir Naik India's worst export: Pakistani journalist on hate preacher's visit

Pakistan's rolling out of the red carpet for controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, who is wanted in India on terror-linked charges, has come under criticism from within the country. Calling Naik "India's worst export", Pakistani journalist Mubasher Lucman said the preacher should not be allowed to give public sermons and spew hatred.

Naik arrived in Pakistan on October 1 as a state guest and is scheduled to stay till October 28. Naik, who has lived in exile since 2016, fled India after being accused of spreading hatred and money laundering.

Speaking to India Today, Pakistani journalist Lucman questioned Islamabad's move to invite Naik as a "state guest", which is typically accorded to high-profile dignitaries and leaders of foreign nations.

"I am influenced by Muslim scholars and those scholars have only preached love, sharing and harmony. Every time I listen to Naik, I feel he is spewing hatred. Someone must have done something to him when he was very young and that is coming out now. He should not be allowed to give public sermons," Lucman said.

Naik's visit to Pakistan and visuals of him being warmly welcomed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has not gone down well with India, which has expressed disappointment and called it "condemnable".

"It is not surprising to us that an Indian fugitive has received a high-level welcome in Pakistan. It is disappointing and condemnable but not surprising," the Ministry of External Affairs said.

Zakir Naik, who was born in Mumbai, has been living in Malaysia since fleeing India. His Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) has been banned in India.