Renowned Islamic scholar Dr. Zakir Naik left the stage at an event in Islamabad after refusing to present awards to young girls due to religious reasons, according to local media.
The event took place at Pakistan Sweet Home, an orphanage where Dr. Naik had been invited as a special guest to deliver a lecture and engage with the audience through a Q&A session.
The event took an unexpected turn when Sweet Home Chairman Zamarud Khan invited a group of girls to the stage to receive shields from Dr. Naik. However, the scholar declined, stating that since the girls were na-mehram to him, he could not present the awards.
A video of the incident quickly gained attention on social media, showing Dr. Naik later awarding the shields to boys instead. As per Express-News, he also advised Zamarud Khan that, following Islamic teachings, girls who are na-mehram should not be touched.
Dr. Naik, who arrived in Islamabad on September 30 for a brief visit, has now proceeded to Karachi where he is set to participate in various programs and public addresses. His actions at the Islamabad event have sparked significant online discussion.