New Delhi: Islamic preacher Zakir Naik is missing India badly during his ongoing state visit to Pakistan. And it’s a good 500-kg difference between the two countries that has riled up the controversial orator. In a viral video, Naik is seen addressing a crowd in Karachi elaborating how Pakistan International Airlines refused to take his 500-600 kg of extra luggage for free. They instead offered him a 50 per cent discount, which a hurt Naik refused.
In his talk, he went on to address a nostalgia for his home country India—where he is banned from entering—and said that things would have been different there. “Even a non-Muslim would recognise me and offer to carry my luggage for free,” he said.
“Modi is wrong but India is not. The love I receive there is different,” he added as the audience applauded.
For the larger part of the speech, Naik kept emphasising how he was not allowed to bring 1,000 kg for free—despite being a state guest—and for the rest of it, he could not stop talking about the love he receives in India, even from Hindus.
Also read: Pashtun girl asks Zakir Naik about rising paedophilia in Islamic societies. He says apologise
An insult to women
One X user could not understand why Naik would demand such VIP treatment.
“No true Islamic preacher would demand special treatment or at least wouldn’t whine publicly after not being given. Zakir Naik would quietly pay the full price for 300kg extra luggage in the West or the Gulf but asked PIA to board it for free”, the user wrote.
No true Islamic preacher would demand a special treatment or at least wouldn't whine publicly after not being given.
Zakir Naik would quietly pay the full price for 300kg extra luggage in the West or in the Gulf but asked PIA to board it for free.pic.twitter.com/B6UcsVnxLj
— K. (@RotiKholDeyo) October 7, 2024
Journalist Faizan Lakhani agreed. “PIA domestic excess baggage charges = 250/kg, so for 300kg, the amount would be 75,000, which is less than $300. A 50% discount means 37,500, which means just $135. And, he made an issue out of it,” he wrote.
One X user had a serious question: “Why do people take this clown seriously? Never have I met anyone of such low intellect calling themselves scholar.”
Others were not so kind. An X user simply said, “he has turned into a stand up comedian.”
Activist Usama Khilji had an elaborate critique of Naik’s actions, which pointed out their larger impact.
Dr Zakir Naik is a disgusting misogynist who should never be given a public platform to incite violence against women – calling unmarried women “public property” only enables harassment, rape, and perpetuates a disgusting mindset men hold that dehumanises women.
— Usama Khilji (@UsamaKhilji) October 6, 2024
“Calling unmarried women ‘public property’ only enables harassment, rape, and perpetuates a disgusting mindset men hold that dehumanises women,” he wrote, adding, “If Dr Zakir Naik doesn’t have the dignity or respect to consider women worthy of respect, he should never be invited to address crowds again, let alone be a state guest. This is an insult to every woman. He must not be welcome in Pakistan again.”
Naik, who is on a month-long state visit to Pakistan, has been giving speeches in different parts of the country. Ranging from misogynistic to absurd, these speeches often turn out to be ripe fodder for controversy. Even Pakistanis have had enough of him—they are even defending India’s ban on the preacher.
“If Zakir Naik had not visited Pakistan, how would we have realized that India was right to ban both his entry & his Peace TV channel? We are always quick to label India as Islamophobic without taking the time to understand/consider India’s perspective on their matters,” said a post on X.
From refusing to share the stage with orphan girls after being called to an NGO to calling unmarried girls ‘public property’, the preacher has done it all.
The judgement is out. As an X user pointed out, “Zakir Naik’s tour is now an unmitigated disaster.”
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)
No such thing as halfway crooks, sorry, Muslim Brotherhood.
(Or Hindu for that, sorry dark matter)
Who said Hindus love you? You are dreaming! Only Congress and chelas love you, that too, from outside.
Indian pseudo secularist would have paid for his luggage happily. He must be referring to them.