Christian leaders in Pakistan have condemned Islamic preacher Zakir Naik’s objectionable remarks about Christianity during various public sermons in Pakistan as he toured the country on a month-long state-sponsored visit in October.

A prominent figure in the Islamic world, Naik is the founder of the Islamic Research Foundation and Peace TV in Dubai, which broadcasts his public speeches. An Indian national, the preacher has been living in Malaysia since 2016 amid legal trouble in his home country, which has sought his extradition on a number of charges including hate speech, incitement to terrorism and money laundering.

This year was Naik’s first visit to Pakistan in three decades – the last time he visited the country was in 1992.

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During his tour, Naik addressed several meetings and gave lectures in various cities, including Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, where he repeatedly criticized Christianity, challenged Christians to religious debates and made public offers to them to convert to islam

In a letter to Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari on October 21, Azad Marshall, the presiding bishop of the Church of Pakistan, expressed dismay at Naik’s open criticism of Christian doctrines and scriptures in public forums.

According to Marshall, pastors and Christian scholars were not given the opportunity to respond to the “misinformation” spread during these forums. The bishop’s letter said the Christian community felt marginalized and their religious beliefs were publicly discredited without any recourse.

Marshall reminded President Zardari of Pakistan’s constitutional guarantees, invoking Article 20, which ensures the right of every citizen to freely practice and propagate his religion. He also referred to Article 36, which obliges the state to protect the legitimate rights of minorities.

Calling for immediate action from the government at the time, the bishop said the Christian community believed such state-sponsored actions threatened the religious harmony and mutual respect that Pakistan’s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah envisioned in his speech at the first Constituent Assembly. of Pakistan.

Slamming Naik for his misinterpretation of the Bible, his claims of alterations in the Bible and denial of the divinity and crucifixion of Christ, Center for Christian Studies director Emeritus Bishop Samuel Azariah criticized the government for sponsoring the controversial preacher’s visit.

“They ignored his track record, arrogant attitude and insulting behavior when cornered. Holy figures and books are not debatable; his attitude is wrong,” Azaria said.

“While trying to prove his knowledge, he builds walls between communities. His visit is harmful to both followers of Islam and Christianity,” he added.

The president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Pakistan, Bishop Samson Shukardin, said Naik’s use of derogatory terms against church leaders and evangelists was condemnable.

“We reject unilateral requests for conversion,” he added, expressing concern about the resulting “damage to interfaith harmony efforts.”

During a press conference on October 16 at the Lahore Press Club, Dominican priest and interfaith dialogue promoter Father James Channan, along with Protestant church leaders and representatives of the Hindu, Sikh and liberal Muslim communities, called for Naik’s ban.

“He made many statements that caused unrest among minorities. They are hurt and have reservations about these inappropriate comments about different religions. They have also caused a huge shock to the efforts of inter-religious harmony,” said a joint statement issued after the press conference.

Meanwhile, a petition was also filed in the Lahore court, seeking directions to the police to register a case against the Islamic preacher.

The petitioner, Asher Sarfraz of Christians’ True Spirit, told Christian Daily International that he had submitted an application to the Race Course police station in Lahore to register a case against Naik for inciting religious tension, but the police did not act this sense. his complaint.

“Naik is stirring up hatred against Christians, who are already a vulnerable minority community in Pakistan. His hate speech is likely to spark more violence against our community,” he said.

Although Pakistan’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion and belief, the country’s religious minorities, including Christians, are often targeted by draconian blasphemy laws. Pakistan’s penal code punishes defamation of Islam and the Islamic prophet Muhammad with life and death sentences. Christians and those of other faiths have been arrested and imprisoned on false charges of blasphemy for alleged attempts to convert Muslims.

Originally published at Christian Daily International