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'Withdraw Rushdie knighthood'
18/06/2007 14:23 - (SA)
Islamabad - Pakistan's parliament unanimously condemned Britain's award of a knighthood to author Salman Rushdie on Monday and called for the title to be withdrawn on the grounds that it offends Muslims.
Indian-born Rushdie, 59, was forced to go into hiding for a decade after Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989 issued a death sentence over his book The Satanic Verses, claiming it insulted Islam.
Rushdie was awarded the knighthood by Britain's Queen Elizabeth II on Saturday.
"This house strongly condemns the title of Sir awarded to Salman Rushdie," said parliamentary affairs minister Sher Afgan, reading the resolution passed by Pakistan's lower house, the national assembly.
"We demand from Britain to refrain from such acts which hurt the sentiments of Muslims and take back the title of Sir given to Rushdie," Afgan said.
The resolution added that the award would encourage "contempt" for the Prophet Mohammed.
'Nore regard for Islam
Iran accused British leaders on Saturday of "Islamophobia" for knighting Rushdie. An Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson said honouring the "hated apostate" was part of a western campaign against Muslims.
Five people died in the Pakistani capital Islamabad in 1989 in riots against Rushdie's book. Pakistan is an Islamic republic, like neighbouring Iran, and its 160 million population is overwhelmingly Muslim.
"Western countries call for inter-faith harmony but let no chance pass to hurt the sentiments of Muslims around the world," said Liaquat Baloch, the parliamentary leader of Pakistan's main alliance of Islamic parties.
Baloch asked the government of President Pervez Musharraf, a key western ally, to lodge a "strong protest" with the British government over the honour for Rushdie.
Opposition lawmakers brought up Pakistan's role in the "war on terror", saying that Britain and the United States had no regard for Islamabad despite its help in fighting extremism.
Knighthood 'richly deserved'
"Those who are awarding the title of Sir to Rushdie are allies of our government, but look at the steps they are taking," said Khawaja Asif, the parliamentary leader of exiled premier Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League.
The British High Commission (embassy) in Islamabad defended the decision to bestow the knighthood on Rushdie.
"Sir Salman's honour is richly deserved and the reasons for it are self-explanatory," said spokesperson Aidan Liddle.
Rushdie's second novel, Midnight's Children, won the prestigious Booker Prize in 1981 and was named the best novel in 25 years of the prize in 1993. Rushdie is also a fellow of Britain's Royal Society of Literature.
- AFP
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