LONDON, June 22: An anti-censorship body on Friday condemned the fierce protests in Pakistan over a decision to award British author Salman Rushdie a knighthood, describing them as ‘knee-jerk’ and politically-motivated.

“In terms of censorship... we are extremely unhappy at this level of intimidation that surfaces every time there is dissent, criticism or comment on Islam,” Index on Censorship editor Jo Glanville told AFP.

“It's very much a knee-jerk response that whenever Islam appears to be slighted in any way you can be sure that there is going to be political leaders who are going to shout to gain political advantage.”

Ms Glanville said focus on the book The Satanic Verses was ‘inevitable’ but the 60-year-old author was recognised for his contribution to literature, particularly for creating a genre that ‘fuses east and west’.

She said it was telling that there had been no repeat of the violent protests here and elsewhere which followed the publication last year in European countries of blasphemous cartoons.—AFP