On 21 March a number of media organisations in India reported citing sources that Islamic preacher Zakir Naik is likely to be deported to India from the Sultanate of Oman.
Some of the organisations that carried this report include Republic TV, ABP News, The Week and News18 among others.
The Quint reached out to Zakir Naik's lawyer Mubin Solkar, who categorically denied these reports.
The media reports are false.Mubin Solkar
Mubin Solkar is Zakir Naik's lawyer based in Mumbai.
Meanwhile, Dr Zakir Naik arrived in Oman on 22 March and thanked the government for welcoming him with official protocols.
Zakir Naik Invited for a Government Programme in Oman
According to a report in the Times of Oman, he has been invited to Oman for a lecture series by the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs, (MERA), a government department.
A statement issued by the ministry said, ''The Ministry represented by the Department of Introducing Islam and Cultural Exchange in the Iftaa office is organising a lecture by the preacher Dr. Zakir Naik.''
The statement further said that the title of the lecture is 'The Holy Qur’an is a Global Necessity' and it is scheduled to take place on 23 March.
On 25 March, another lecture has been scheduled by the ministry in cooperation with Sultan Qaboos University.
Following the invitation to Zakir Naik Qatar 2022 football World Cup in Qatar, a number of Indian news channels had claimed that the host country was forced to answer to New Delhi for inviting Zakir Naik.
However, Naik ended up attending the World Cup without hindrances.
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