The Dawat-e-Islami, one of Pakistan's largest Sunni-Barelvi Muslim organisations, which has been in the news after the brutal killing of a tailor in India, on Friday rejected links to "any acts of terrorism," saying it is purely an educational, missionary and charity institution which preaches peace.
The organisation, with its headquarters in Pakistan's commercial capital Karachi, has been under the spotlight after it emerged that one of the two men who carried out a deadly attack in Udaipur, Rajasthan, was inspired by the Dawat-e-Islami and visited Karachi in 2014.
Two men, identified as Riaz Akhtari and Ghouse Mohammad, allegedly hacked Kanhaiya Lal to death with a cleaver at his shop in Udaipur on Tuesday and posted videos online saying they are avenging an insult to Islam. The Rajasthan Police had claimed he had links to the organisation.
In a statement, the Pakistan Foreign Office had also said that it has seen reports in a segment of the Indian media referring to investigations into the murder case in Udaipur, seeking to link the accused individuals to an organisation in Pakistan. "We categorically reject any such insinuations," the FO said, adding that it was an attempt by New Delhi at maligning the country including by externalising their internal issues through pointing fingers towards Pakistan.
