Pakistan Dawat-e-Islami link surfaces in Udaipur killing

The investigations into the brutal murder of Udaipur-based tailor Kanhaiya Lal have pointed to an international link to his killer, particularly the Karachi-based Dawat-e-Islami.According to probe, various accused had made frequent foreign trips. Ghous Mohammed, who along with Riyaz Attari had beheaded Kanhaiya, was called by the senior functionaries of Dawat-e-Islami to Pakistan in 2014.The Karachi-based Dawat-e-Islami's aim is to spread the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah with the objective of advocating Shariah globally. It has a huge following in Pakistan and is committed to supporting the blasphemy law in the Islamic Republic.

According to investigating officials, Mohammed stayed in Karachi for 40 days. He had visited Saudi Arabia for Umrah in 2013 and 2019.The other accused have also travelled abroad, including Saudi Arabia. However, Dawat-e- Islami has denied  links to "any acts of terrorism," saying it is purely an educational, missionary and charity institution which preaches peace.Distancing the Dawat-e-Islami from the gruesome murder in Udaipur, Maulana Mahmood Qadri, a senior figure in the organisation's headquarters (Faizan-e-Madina) in Karachi's Gulshan-e-Iqbal area rejected his organisation's links to any act of terrorism."Dawat-e-Islami has nothing to do with any act of terrorism. We are purely an educational, missionary and charity institution and globally preach peace in our lives," Mahmood told PTI in an interview.He said that thousands of students from all over the world visit the organisation's headquarters for Islamic studies that does not preach or promote extremism or radicalism. "We are also apolitical," he emphasised.Dawat-e-Islami has branches across the world, Mahmood said, adding that the organisation operates a television channel Madni channel - and has a proper website with all details of the group."Since the Dawat-e-Islami was founded in 1981, there has not been a single incident where any of our students, followers or teachers has been named or been involved in any violent activities, he said.