ISLAMABAD, June 19: British High Commissioner Robert Brinkley was summoned to the Foreign Office on Tuesday afternoon and conveyed Pakistan’s deep disappointment and resentment over the conferment of knighthood on writer Salman Rushdie by the UK government.
According to sources, he was also handed over a copy of a resolution adopted by the National Assembly on Monday which condemned and protested against the knighthood and called for its withdrawal.
Additional Secretary, United Nations, Tariq Osman Hyder, told him that Pakistan ‘deplores and regrets’ the decision of the British government which negated the common objective of building bridges between civilisations and religions.
High Commissioner Brinkley was told that conferment of knighthood on Mr Rushdie “shows an utter lack of sensitivity” on the part of the British government and that people of Pakistan and Muslims around the world deeply resented the decision.
“Salman Rushdie has been a controversial figure, known less for his literary contribution and more for his offensive and insulting writings which have deeply hurt the Muslim sentiments around the world,” he was reminded.
According to sources, the additional secretary noted: “This was not expected from the British government, a country which itself has a large Muslim population. This development can unnecessarily incite feelings.”
The High Commissioner’s attention was drawn to the fact that in knighting Rushdie Britain had acted against the spirit of UN Security Council Resolution 1624 adopted in September 2005. The Resolution calls upon all UN member states for continuing efforts to enhance dialogue in an effort to prevent the indiscriminate targeting of different religions and cultures.
AFP adds from London: Britain voiced ‘deep concern’ on Tuesday at reported comments by Religious Affairs Minister Ijazul Haq suggesting the knighthood could justify suicide attacks, as protests mounted.
A British Foreign Office spokesman said High Commissioner Brinkley had made London’s position clear in talks at Pakistan’s Foreign Office.
“He made clear the British government’s deep concern at what the minister for religious affairs was reported to have said,” he told AFP. “The British government is very clear that nothing can justify suicide bomb attacks.”
Meanwhile, the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) condemned the knighthood as a ‘provocation’ but called for restraint from ordinary Muslims.
The group said Mr Rushdie had “earned notoriety throughout the world amongst Muslims for the highly insulting and vilifying manner in which he portrayed early Islamic figures”.
“The granting of a knighthood to him can only do further harm to our country’s image in the Muslim world,” it said.
The MCB “considers it yet another example of insensitivity to Muslim opinion that will only result in their further alienation”.
“In the face of such provocation, the MCB urges Muslims everywhere to exercise calm and restraint,” it said.
IJAZ’S REACTION: Mr Haq accused Britain of undermining the war on extremism.
“It is surprising that the British government is criticising me. I am the one who is heading the front-line ministry for the front-line state in the war against terrorism,” he told AFP.
The minister said he had already withdrawn the comment, saying that he meant that the knighthood could spark extremism.
“I never supported suicide attacks. What I meant to say yesterday was that we are trying to curb extremism, but their (British) actions are adding fuel to the fire and not helping,” he said.
“Somebody whose sole credential is that he is a writer of a blasphemous book has been awarded this honour.”
Mr Haq said he had got pledges from nearly 15,000 madressahs not to promote extremism and that he had secured a fatwa from 58 scholars declaring suicide attacks un-Islamic.
“Instead of praising the efforts, the British government has chosen to criticise,” he said.
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