Dr. Zakir Naik, an Islamic scholar currently visiting Pakistan as a state guest, has been a hot topic in the media due to several of his controversial statements. These include remarks about women, airlines, and social platforms like YouTube. One of his notable statements involved accusing Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) of refusing to let him carry 600 kg of excess baggage for free.
However, reports suggest that Dr. Naik wasn’t even flying with PIA but rather traveled from Malaysia to Doha, then Islamabad, while only his team used PIA. This raises questions about why Dr. Naik would single out PIA when he himself wasn’t on their flight.
Another significant controversy stems from Dr. Naik’s stance on women’s dress and harassment. He has repeatedly claimed that women are responsible for being harassed if they wear “obscene” clothes. This is a problematic view, especially given that many cases of harassment and rape involve women and even young girls, like Zainab, who were fully covered. This shows that the issue isn’t about clothing but rather the mentality of the perpetrators.
Dr. Naik’s views seem to align with the conservative narrative of groups like TLP, which places the blame for harassment on women rather than addressing the root causes of the problem: societal mindset and the lack of respect for women’s autonomy. His remarks reinforce regressive ideologies rather than promoting genuine protection for women.