Srinagar: Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said Friday that Islamic scholar and preacher Dr. Zakir Naik will not be deported to India, reports said.
Addressing a press conference, Mohamad said Naik would not be sent back as long as he was not creating any problem in the country, reported news agency AFP.
Zakir, who is the founder of the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), left India in 2016 for Malaysia, where he was granted permanent residence. He is wanted in India for allegedly conducted terror-related activities and hate speech.
“As long as he is not creating any problem, we will not deport him because he has been given permanent residency status,” Mahathir was quoted as saying by AFP.
India has made a formal request for the extradition of Naik. India’s Ministry of External Affairs said Thursday the country’s request is under ‘active consideration’.
Earlier this week, Naik denied reports that he was returning to India, calling them “totally baseless and false”.
