Following complaints filed against Muhammad Saqib bin Iqbal Shaami, a British Islamic preacher with Pakistan links, the Warangal Police reportedly stopped him from attending the scheduled religious event and sent him back.
International Islamic Scholar Saqib Iqbal Shami, born in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and is said to have residence in Karachi. He reportedly acquired citizen of Britain, and was supposed to attend an event at the Azam Jahi Mill grounds on Saturday (4 February 2023). The event was to be attended by BRS MLA Nannapuneni Narender as well. Saqib Iqbal Shami has been in India since January 26 to attend religious events in various cities including Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.
Earlier, The Commune had reported about the Pakistani-origin British Islamic preacher attending a mass Islamic congregation in Warangal which is a violation of Indian visa norms. Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF), an organization working in the field of national security, had filed a complaint with the Ministry of Home Affairs detailing his visa rule violation and alleged anti-India activities.
LRPF in its complaint note that he is interfering in Indian internal policy matters. He is one among the 120 Islamic scholars from the United Kingdom who wrote a letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing dissatisfaction and displeasure over the abrogation of Article 370.
He had participated in a mass Islamic religious event at Aligarh Muslim University, Uttar Pradesh on 2 February 2023. In his social media post he termed it as the “biggest political, cultural, social & Islamic gathering of all time”.
A glimpse of the historic event in Aligarh Muslim University from only inside the auditorium!
Shaykh Saqib Shaami Sahibs Hh event last time was the biggest Islamic gathering but last night according to the professors from different faculties of Ali Ghar Muslim university, pic.twitter.com/i6suyzmhaO
— Saqib Iqbal (@ShaykhSaqib) February 2, 2023
After his Warangal programme came to light, the Warangal unit of the Vishwa Hindu Parishat (VHP) also lodged a complaint with Warangal Police Commissioner urging them to prevent the Islamic preacher Saqib Iqbal Shami’s tour that is in violation of Indian Visa provisions following which he was detained.
Victory: Following our complaint, the Warangal Police has stopped the Pakistan linked UK-based Islamic preacher Mr. Saqib Iqbal Shaami from attending the religious event and sent him back.
We are in contact with MHA & MEA authorities for his deportation & immigration blacklist https://t.co/b36KpjgqOw pic.twitter.com/TIXKp27ayY
— Legal Rights Protection Forum (@lawinforce) February 4, 2023
As per the latest report, the official Facebook page of the Saqib Iqbal Shami has removed all the posters linked with his Indian tour.
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