“Shame on us, I humbly apologise to Dr Zakir Naik,” says Zarnish Khan on PIA controversy

Former actor Zarnish Khan expressed her disappointment over the recent incident involving religious scholar Dr Zakir Naik, who voiced frustration after being fined by PIA for excess luggage.

Zarnish took to Instagram to share her thoughts on the controversy, where Dr Naik, who was in Pakistan as a state guest, complained about not being treated with due respect when authorities asked him to pay a fine for his overweight baggage.

During a speech in Karachi, Dr Naik explained that he refused to pay the fine, even after the PIA CEO offered him a discount for the 600 kg of excess luggage. 

He said, “Yeh Pakistan ka haal hai [this is the state of affairs in Pakistan]. If I were in India, Hindus would have let me go because they believe I speak only the truth."

Zarnish lamented the incident, saying, “Our people seem to take pride in embarrassing others over minor issues. Shame on us."

“I humbly apologise to Dr Zakir Naik," she added.

Earlier, Governor Sindh Kamran Tessori had also apologised to the 58-year-old scholar for the inconvenience he faced at the airport due to his excess luggage.

However, Dr Naik’s remarks sparked mixed reactions in Pakistan. 

While some criticised the authorities for mishandling the situation, others took issue with Dr Naik’s refusal to pay the fine as a state guest, pointing out that it contradicted his teachings on equality and fairness.