Fugitive Zakir Naik took a jibe at Pakistan, saying- In India, they forgive extra baggage

New Delhi. Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik has launched a scathing attack on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) for not waiving the fee for extra baggage. He was travelling from Malaysia to Pakistan and the airline offered Naik only a 50 percent discount. Naik said that this never happens in his own country. He was pointing towards India, let us tell you that Zakir Naik is wanted in India on charges of spreading hatred and inciting communal tension.

Zakir Naik reached Pakistan on October 1 and is going to stay there till October 28. He made this statement while addressing his supporters in Karachi. “When I was coming to Pakistan, our luggage was around 1,000 kg. I spoke to the CEO of PIA. The station manager assured me that he would do anything for me. When I told them that I had 500 to 600 kg of extra luggage and around six people were travelling with me, they offered me a 50 per cent discount. I said I would bring four more people along, which would make it even cheaper. I told them either give it for free or leave. I refused that discount,” Naik said.

The Mumbai-born preacher also claimed that when a non-Muslim sees me in India, they let me go for free. “This is India where people see Dr Zakir Naik and forgive 1,000 kg to 2,000 kg of excess baggage. But in Pakistan, I am a guest of the government and my visa says state guest and your (PIA) CEO is giving me 50 per cent discount?” Naik said. The controversial preacher also complained that the airlines charged him 101 Malaysian ringgit (around Rs 2,137) for every 1 kg of excess baggage.

“I am very sad that PIA could not even let me carry 300 kg of excess baggage as a state guest,” Naik lamented and added, “I don’t want your discount. I feel sad to speak the truth, but this is the situation in Pakistan. In India, even when a Hindu sees me, he says ‘Dr Naik will always speak the truth’. As of today, India is not wrong, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is. The respect I get in India… people in Pakistan also like me.”
The Islamic preacher’s comments quickly went viral on social media, where several users trolled and criticised Naik. One user supported the decision to give Naik a 50 per cent discount despite PIA’s losses. “The state should choose its state guests wisely. This is the situation in Pakistan and the state of affairs.”

At the same time, a social media user criticised Naik for badmouthing Pakistan and its national airline. Another quipped, “Pakistanis have really disappointed Zakir Naik. I hope he doesn’t visit our airport’s duty free store, or else he will curse us.”

Preacher Naik fled India in 2016 after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) registered a case against him following the terror attacks in Bangladesh. One of the attackers had confessed that he was influenced by Naik’s sermons on YouTube. Since then, Naik has been living in Malaysia, where he continues to give his sermons and lectures. India has sought his extradition, but Malaysia has not yet responded. The central government has declared him a fugitive, banned his Islamic Research Foundation and cancelled his passport.