A CONTROVERSIAL cleric will not speak at a Bolton mosque on Christmas Eve and has never been invited to do so despite a poster suggesting otherwise, says a mosque leader.

It was claimed in a national newspaper that Islamic scholar Syed Muzaffar Shah Qadri is undertaking a UK speaking tour by addressing audiences at various places of worship in different towns.

He is a controversial figure, especially in his native Pakistan where he has reportedly been banned from preaching.

A seemingly genuine flyer circulating on social media billed Mr Qadri as “guest speaker” at a December 24 event at Masjid-E-Ghosia mosque in Caroline Street, Daubhill.

But Bashir Sharma, of the mosque, said: “It’s not true. There was a rumour he was coming, but he’s definitely not coming.

“We have Munawwar Ateeq coming from Birmingham instead.

“We have sent our own posters out, so I don’t know what’s happened there.

“We haven’t done the poster with Mr Qadri’s name, so I’m expecting it was probably malicious.”

Mr Qadri’s has made headlines in the UK and in Pakistan.

He was quoted in the case of Tanveer Ahmed, the Bradford taxi driver who in March stabbed to death Glasgow shopkeeper Asad Shah for posting an Easter greeting to Christians.

Spokesmen from two other mosques in Bolton both said “I have never heard of him” when asked about the cleric.

Munawwar Ateeq is the UK’s youngest qualified mufti, an expert in Islamic legal affairs.