Tahirul Qadri, chief of the Tehrik-i-Minhajul Quran (TMQ), hit the headlines again this week announcing nationwide protests against corruption and inflation in Pakistan from December 29.

Qadri, who launched a big protest last year in Islamabad, once again said that he would gather millions of Muslims who would bring revolution in Pakistan.

The Canada-based Pakistani cleric is also visiting strife-torn Kashmir in January. The anti-Taliban Sufi cleric, who is against "Pakistan-sponsored Jihad" in Kashmir, is likely to be a state guest.

"He (Qadri) is visiting Kashmir in January," said an official of the Indian chapter of Minhaj-ul-Quran International, the religious organisation founded by Qadri. "He is likely to address people in Srinagar from January 24 -26," the official said, adding that the controversial leader is visiting Kashmir on the invite of some of his followers.

"He is coming here on our invite," said Abdul Rashid Khan, who is one of the organisers and claims to be a member of Qadri's party in Kashmir. Though the Canada-based cleric is coming to the Valley on the invite of his "followers", he is likely to be given the status of a state guest. And even as the organisers say that the dates and schedule are yet to be confirmed, sources in the Congress say Qadri will address two public rallies in Srinagar — at Hazratbal shrine and at the Sheri Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC).

A citizen of Canada, Qadri is known for his Sufi thought and hatred of Taliban and other extremist organisations.

Qadri who claimed refugee status in Canada in 2008, said he feared threats to his life after he met with the Danish cartoonist responsible for making blasphemous caricatures of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

Qadri, through his lawyer Mendel Green, had requested that he was receiving death threats from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) and Sipah-e-Sahaba.

On October 17, 2009, his asylum application was accepted, while he was issued the Canadian passport about six months back.

The MQI chief has also been receiving welfare funds from the Canadian government, citing health issues.

Qadri, led a 5-day long march in Islamabad last year.