Controversial Muslim cleric banned in Pakistan is preaching in UK mosques

Mr Quadri publicly praised Islamist fundamentalist who shot Pakistan government critic 27 times

A Woking mosque told The Independent it had cancelled Mr Quadri's speech (Allama Syed Muzaffar Shah/Facebook)

A Muslim cleric who allegedly celebrated the murder of a popular politician and who is banned in Pakistan is touring UK mosques.

Syed Muzaffar Shah Qadri is speaking at events across Britain over the Christmas period.

The “firebrand” preacher, barred from practising in his home country, has publicly praised Pakistani policeman and convicted murderer Mumtaz Quadri.

In 2011, fundamentalist Mumtaz Quadri shot his employer Salman Taseer 27 times with an AK-47 rifle after Mr Taseer spoke out against the country’s hard-line blasphemy laws.

Glasgow shopkeeper Asad Shah (pictured) was murdered by a man who idolised Mumtaz Quadri PA (PA)

Tanveer Ahmed, the Bradford taxi driver who in March stabbed to death Glasgow shopkeeper Asad Shah after his Easter greeting on social media to Christians, idolised Mumtaz Quadri.

“Syed Muzaffar Shah Qadri and the likes of him should not be allowed to enter the UK or Europe because he incites hatred and he claims to be a Sufi, but the message of Sufism is love all and hate none,” said Irfan al-Alawi, international director of US think-tank Centre for Islamic Pluralism, speaking to The Observer.

“The Sunni Muslims do not need Pakistani or Indian imams to enter the UK and preach hatred.”

According to legal documents seen by Scotland’s Sunday Post, Mr Quadri was branded a “firebrand” by Pakistani authorities and was banned from addressing crowds in October.

He was accused of acting in a manner “prejudicial to public safety and maintenance of public order”.

Mr Quadri, from Karachi, was first due to speak at the Falkirk Central mosque in Scotland on Thursday, 15 December, but his billing was cancelled after public outcry.

According to the Observer, he was due to speak at a mosque in Leicester yesterday, for one in Woking on Boxing Day and Bolton on New Year’s Eve.

The Independent has contacted all three mosques for comment.

The Shah Jahan Mosque in Woking responded: “Syed Muzafar Shah will NOT be attending our event on 26 December.

“The Mosque was unaware of his ban in Pakistan and as soon as this was brought to our attention we cancelled his invite and will NOT have any further communication with him.”

He is reportedly viewed by scholars as fairly moderate except for his views on blasphemy.

The British Government has previously banned people from preaching in the UK, including extremist Islamist Zakir Naik in 2011.

A Home Office spokesman said: “We don’t normally comment on individual cases.”

A spokesman for the High Commission for Pakistan in London said the office was working on a statement, but they added: “We have not said anything yet because the news just came out.”

The Independent has contacted Mr Quadri via his Facebook page for comment.