Zakir Naik meets Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz in Raiwind
During the meeting at the Sharif family's estate, the scholar and PML-N leaders reportedly discussed various issues.
However, no official statement has been released regarding the specifics of the conversation.
Last week, former Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Hafeez has sparked controversy after meeting Dr. Zakir Naik.
Hafeez shared pictures from their meeting on social media, prompting widespread criticism. Hafeez posted, 'Pleasure meeting with Zakir Naik,' alongside images of them together, including one at a restaurant.
The post was met with strong reactions online, with many questioning his decision to meet Naik.
One social media user wrote 'This is one of the reasons why the Indian cricket team and the Indian government do not want to come to Pakistan.'
And they say India doesn't play in Pakistan. When you welcome and cherish a designated terrorist then India will play in Pakistan? Well done @JayShah not sending Indian team to Pakistan. — Devender Yadav (@DevenderYadav05) March 7, 2025
Most of the criticism came from Indian nationals. Dr. Naik is currently wanted by Indian authorities on charges of alleged money laundering and inciting extremism.
The controversy also reignited discussions around India's refusal to play in Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
4 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Bilawal urges Indian youth to reject hate, war rhetoric
Listen to article Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday urged the people of India to avoid falling prey to "disinformation and hate-mongering", stressing that it was easy for the current generation to talk about war. In an interview with Indian journalist Karan Thapar, the former Pakistan foreign minister categorically rejected India's claims of the country's involvement in any acts of terrorism, terming such allegations a mere propaganda. "I just want to tell the people of India that they must be, they must avoid disinformation and hate mongerers. It is easy for this generation to talk about war and tell you that every Pakistani is a terrorist, every Pakistani is your enemy; that is not true," he said. "Pakistan does not willingly permit groups you mentioned or any group to conduct terrorist attacks outside of Pakistan but also within Pakistan. We have, as you're well aware, faced the brunt of terrorism over the past many decades. Pakistan is and has been fighting the largest inland war against terrorism." While dilating on the issue of terrorism within the country, the PPP chairman recalled the immense toll the people have suffered. "We've lost 92,000 lives altogether. Just last year, we lost more than 1,200 civilian lives in over 200 different terrorist attacks." The PPP chief warned that the current rate at which terrorist attacks were taking place in different parts of the country in this year, "if they continue at this pace, it will be the bloodiest year in Pakistan's history". Bilawal acknowledged the emotional cost of the terrorism, saying, "I, too, am a victim of terrorism. I feel the pain of the victims of Pahalgam terrorist attack. I understand the trauma that their families are experiencing in a way more than many others can ever imagine." About Pakistan's efforts to combat terrorism, he noted the military actions taken in South Waziristan and later in North Waziristan over the years. "Most recently, we went through a rigorous FATF process with the international community endorsing Pakistan's actions against said terrorist groups," he stated. Bilawal emphasised that the Financial Action Task Force was a very rigorous process that had a complete monitoring mechanism. "So it's not like you can hide from it," he said, adding: "We implemented a National Action Plan as far as our actions against the groups of concern to India." Bilawal reiterated Pakistan's offer for an international probe into the Pahalgam attack in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), in which 26 tourists were killed on April 22. The incident also triggered a four-day military escalation with Pakistan from May 7-10. "Immediately after that accusation by the Indian government, the prime minister of Pakistan publicly stated that Pakistan is willing to be part of any impartial international inquiry into the incident because our hands are clean." However, he added, India rejected the offer. He stressed the need for cooperation between Pakistan and India on counter-terrorism, stating, "I'd like to see the day where India and Pakistan engage in comprehensive dialogue, which should also include the issue of terrorism, so we can collectively combat this menace." The PPP chairman recalled the 2007 Samjhota Express attack, where dozens of Pakistani citizens lost their lives on the Indian soil, questioning why there had been no convictions. "We can't ignore saffron terror on one side and then hold another standard by which Pakistan is judged," he said. Highlighting the role of India in fostering terrorism in Pakistan, he referred to the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav, an Indian spy arrested in Balochistan. "Most recently, the Jaffar Express attack can be directly linked to facilitators in your intelligence agency," he told the interviewer. Bilawal also raised concerns over India's plans to cut water supplies to Pakistan, calling Delhi's decision to hold the Indus Water Treaty into abeyance as a violation of humanitarian principles. "Indian Prime Minister and your government are threatening to cut off the water supply to 240 million people of Pakistan. This goes against everything it is to be Indian. It goes against the philosophy of Gandhi. It goes against all we've been taught about a secular India." Bilawal, who last month led a parliamentary delegation to several world capitals on a mission to debunk the Indian propaganda in the aftermath of the recent conflict, said that Operation Bunyanum Marsoos was launched in response to the Indian aggression. Despite these challenges, he reiterated Pakistan's desire for peace. "We want peace. We can talk together and sort out all our issues," he concluded. This was the first interview of a Pakistani politician by any Indian media outlet. In a tweet on X, Bilawal explained that he believed in the people of India, especially the youth and he was not afraid of putting "our case to the Indian public" via Indian media. "I chose to give an interview to Indian media, not because I expected a fair platform, but because I believe in the people of India, especially the youth. The case for peace in our region is not just a Pakistani cause, it is a shared mission for both our peoples. I believe the new generation of Indians and Pakistanis can chart a new destiny," he wrote. "We will be the generation that breaks the shackles of history, that defies the war-mongers, the cynics, and the peddlers of hate. Together, we will face the real challenges of our time together, from terrorism to climate change to inequality. This is my promise to the young people of both India and Pakistan: our future will be defined not by the conflicts of the past, but by a new destiny defined by peaceful co-existence, cooperation and prosperity."
Express Tribune
4 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Pakistan, Turkiye weigh aerospace partnership
Pakistan and Turkiye sought to deepen their defence cooperation amid regional instability as the two sides, in the level talks here on Wednesday, vowed to increase the bilateral trade to $5 billion. Turkish Foreign Minister Fida Hakan and Defence Minister Yasar Guler, who arrived in Islamabad in Tuesday night, held a series of meetings with Pakistani civil and military leaders. Turkiye has emerged a strong supporter of Pakistan in the wake of recent conflict with India. The presence of Turkish foreign and defence ministers in Islamabad highlighted the deepening cooperation and increased high-level exchanges between the two countries. While Foreign Minister Hakan, who was also joined by the Defence Minister Guler, held formal talks with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar at the Foreign Ministry, they met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the Prime Minister's Office, where Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, National Security Adviser and Direcotr General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt General Asim Malik and other senior officials were also present. The presence of top civil and military leadership of Pakistan highlighted the importance of close ties with Turkey. Welcoming the Turkish delegation, according to an official handout, the prime minister underscored the longstanding fraternal ties between Pakistan and Turkiye, saying that there relations remain deeply rooted in shared history, culture, and mutual respect. He expressed satisfaction over the positive trajectory of bilateral relations and reaffirmed Pakistan's unwavering commitment to further strengthening cooperation with Turkiye in diverse fields, including trade, investment, technology, and defence. Recalling his interactions with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the year, including the most recent meeting between the two leaders on the margins of the 17th ECO Summit, Shehbaz reaffirmed Pakistan's firm resolve to transform Pak-Turkiye ties into a strategic partnership in the days to come. Welcoming the convening of the joint commission meeting, co-chaired by Dar and Fidan, the prime minister expressed the hope that the bilateral relations between the two countries would attain further momentum, leading to bolstering of cooperation in multifaceted areas. While reiterating the commitment of the both countries to continue their strong and unwavering support for each other's core interests, the prime minister emphasised the need for closer coordination between the two sides amidst the fast evolving regional and global environment, particularly in the context of Gaza and Iran. He once again expressed his deepest gratitude to the Turkish nation and leadership for their steadfast support to Pakistan during the recent Indian aggression. The prime minister stressed the need for concerted efforts by both sides to enhance the bilateral trade to the mutually agreed target of $5 billion. Highlighting Pakistan's investor-friendly policies, he invited Turkish companies to expand their investment footprint in Pakistan and invited Turkish side to share its expertise to assist in Pakistan's structural reforms, economic growth and development efforts. Meanwhile, at a joint press conference with Foreign Minister Dar, Fidan underlined the ongoing efforts to boost the bilateral trade volume to $5 billion. He noted that both countries were evaluating cooperation mechanisms in sectors such as mining, natural gas, oil, and rare earth elements. "In this context, the agreement signed in April between Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) and Pakistan's national oil companies represents a highly significant step forward," Fidan said. "This is one of the outcomes of the more institutionalised approach we are working to establish," he added. Dar said that Islamabad and Ankara have agreed to bolster cooperation in a string of areas, including economy, defence industry, energy and infrastructure. Lauding the Turkish defence industry, Dar said that Islamabad wishes to further strengthen its ongoing strategic and defence industries cooperation and promotion of peace and stability in the region. The two sides are "actively" engaged in different activities, including capacity building in counterterrorism, said Dar. Turkish companies will also be participating in the privatisation of distribution companies in the power sector, he added. The two sides, Dar continued, were pursuing the establishment of a special economic zone dedicated to Turkish entrepreneurs in Karachi and Istanbul. "We are actively following up on benefiting from Turkish experience and expertise in shipbreaking and storage and efficient use of agricultural water," Dar said. He said Islamabad and Ankara agreed to revive the long-dormant joint ministerial commission after a hiatus of 11 years, which will be co-chaired by Pakistan's Commerce Minister Jam Kamal and Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler. "All this work will lay a solid foundation for the eighth high-level Strategic Cooperation Council," which will be held next year in Turkiye, he added. In a separate engagement, Turkish Defence Minister Guler met with Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu at the Air Headquarters to assess the state of bilateral defence cooperation and discuss emerging regional threats. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), both sides agreed to set up joint working groups to deepen collaboration in aerospace technologies, advanced training, and new domains of warfare. Guler praised the operational readiness of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), particularly during its recent conflict with India, and expressed interest in expanding industry-to-industry partnerships. He also emphasised the importance of joint ventures in disruptive technologies, including unmanned aerial systems, advanced avionics and pilot exchange programs. Both sides pledged to enhance joint air exercises and finalise plans for more intensive training cooperation. The ISPR said that the meeting reflected the "shared commitment of both the brotherly nations to enhance strategic cooperation, solidify defence ties and promote lasting institutional linkages between the Armed Forces of Pakistan and Turkiye".
Business Recorder
5 hours ago
- Business Recorder
PPP leader questions legitimacy of PML-N's mandate
ISLAMABAD: A senior Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader Nabeel Gabol, on Wednesday, said it point blank: the 'so-called two-thirds majority was given to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in alms.' The PPP stalwart lost his cool after coming face to face with PML-N loyalists and the State Minister for Interior, Talal Chaudhry, during a meeting of National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior, when the latter boasted that 'we have toppled government in the past and we can, again.' The committee meeting was held with MNA Raja Khurram Nawaz in the chair. The tone of the state minister for interior angered Gabol who is the PPP MNA from Karachi, and he confronted Chaudhry, saying 'the regime given to PML-N has made them arrogant, which needs to be curtailed.' The PPP stalwart said that the attitude of the state minister and Capital Development Authority (CDA) chairman towards the committee members is uncalled for and is not acceptable. 'The attitude of the minister and, surprisingly, the CDA chairman, Muhammad Ali Randhawa who is a government official, towards committee members is simply not acceptable and I'm going to boycott the meeting in protest against their unruly attitude,' he said and staged a walkout from the meeting in protest. The committee chairman requested Gabol not to stage a walkout from the meeting, but he left the meeting after an exchange of harsh words with Chaudhry. During the discussion over the Capital Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2025, moved by PPP MNA Shazia Marri, an official of the Law Ministry said that the law already exists and therefore, the ministry did not support this bill. To this, Marri said that she would move a privilege motion against the Law Ministry official. Talal Chaudhry replied, 'Go ahead, I will face it myself.' The committee made a sub-committee for further examination and discussion over the Capital Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2025. During the meeting when the Law Ministry official said that the Constitution is supreme, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA and member of the committee Shehryar Afridi asked the official to repeat the statement, saying, 'It sounds good.' MNA Zartaj Gul said that we want to understand it. In response, Talal Chaudhry remarked that those who do not understand are made to understand. Special invitee Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry criticised recent increases in property transfer fees by the CDA, calling them unacceptable. He said that a committee was formed by the prime minister to look into real estate matters in Islamabad. The CDA must withdraw this fee hike immediately, he said. During the meeting, Chaudhry urged Minister Talal Chaudhry to pay attention, adding, 'This is not about Faisalabad, Minister Sahib! This is about Islamabad—please focus and listen.' The minister for parliamentary affairs also expressed concern over deteriorating road conditions following recent rains, pointing out that even newly constructed roads submerged. He urged CDA to ensure pending projects are completed, saying that people gather in front of his and chairman committee's offices in protest. The meeting was attended by MNAs, Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar, Malik Shakir Bashir Awan, Syed Rafiullah, Haji Jamal Shah Kakar, Sardar Nabeel Ahmed Gabol, Khawaja Izhar Ul Hassan, Nawabzada Mir Jamal Khan Raisani, Muhammad Ijazul Haq, Mohammad Jamal Ahsan Khan, Nisar Ahmed, Sahibzada Muhammad Hamid Raza, Shehryar Khan Afridi, Jamshaid Ahmed, Zartaj Gul, Sofia Saeed Shah, Shazia Marri, Aliya Kamran, Dr Mahreen Razaq Bhutto and Dr Tariq Fazal Chudhary and senior officials. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
