Tue Oct 08 20:24:50 UTC 2024: ## Controversial Islamic Preacher Zakir Naik Sparks Outrage in Pakistan for Refusing to Interact with Orphan Girls
**ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN** – Renowned Islamic preacher Zakir Naik has stirred a fresh wave of controversy in Pakistan after he refused to interact with a group of orphan girls during an event at an orphanage in Islamabad on Wednesday.
The incident, captured on video and widely shared online, shows Naik abruptly leaving the stage when the girls approached him for a felicitation ceremony. He cited Islamic law, arguing that the girls were considered “na-mahram” – meaning they were not directly related to him and therefore forbidden from physical interaction.
Naik further stated that the girls were of “marriageable age” and should not be called his “daughters,” which the event organizers had done.
This incident has sparked widespread outrage across Pakistan with many calling out Naik’s actions as “peak misogyny” and “sanctimonious.”
“How embarrassing and rather disturbing it must have been for these poor little girls!”, wrote lawyer Saria Benazir on X (formerly Twitter).
Economist Yousuf Nazar was even more scathing, writing: “Pakistan doesn’t need more fundos like Zakir Naik, it already has too many.”
Journalist Abbas Nasir criticized the Pakistani government for inviting Naik, calling it a “write-off.”
“I was wondering how Zakir Naik came to Pakistan. Turns out he was invited by the PMLN government; and received by Rana Mashood. He will pollute minds for four weeks. This is what a government thrashing about for legitimacy does. PMLN is a write-off,” he wrote on X.
This is not the first time Naik has attracted criticism for his views on Islam. He has been residing in Malaysia since 2016 following legal proceedings against him in India stemming from his alleged role in influencing the 2016 Dhaka terror attack.
With a series of public speeches scheduled across major Pakistani cities, Naik’s visit is expected to continue generating controversy and raising questions about the government’s tolerance for his divisive views.
First Piper 