Pakistan Protests Knighthood for Salman Rushdie

LONDON, June 19 -- Pakistan formally complained to Britain on Tuesday over the decision to grant knighthood to British author Salman Rushdie, whose 1988 book "The Satanic Verses" resulted in death threats against him from Muslims who saw the novel as an attack on Islam.

Pakistani officials summoned Robert Brinkley, the British high commissioner in Islamabad, to express anger over the honor for Rushdie, which was announced along with British government honors for about 950 people on Queen Elizabeth II's ceremonial birthday on June 16. The knighthood means that the writer, who turned 60 on Tuesday, will be known in Britain as Sir Salman.

"Sir Salman's knighthood is a reflection of his contribution to literature throughout a long and distinguished career which has seen him receive international recognition for a substantial body of work," Brinkley said in a statement. Noting that at least two Muslims had also received honors from the queen, Brinkley said, "It is simply untrue that this knighthood is intended as an insult to Islam or the prophet Mohammad."

The row over Rushdie comes at a time of tense relations between the British government and Britain's 2 million-strong Muslim population, the largest group of whom are of Pakistani descent. Many Muslims in Britain have complained that they suffer discrimination and have been unfairly targeted by authorities since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States and suicide bombings on the London public transportation system carried out by Islamic extremists in July 2005.

"Muslims are bound to take this as a signal by the British establishment that we don't give a damn what you think, we are backing the guy that insulted you," said Asghar Bukhari, spokesman for the Muslim Public Affairs Committee, a British group that advocates Muslim involvement in the democratic process.

"It's sending a signal in these tense times and adds evidence to a community that certain governments are waging a war on Islam," Bukhari said. "It's a small thing, but a big thing symbolically. When you say 'Salman Rushdie,' you know Muslims don't like him -- what service has he done for Britain? Nothing apart from attacking the Muslim community."

The Pakistani National Assembly passed a resolution Monday demanding that Britain withdraw Rushdie's knighthood. Pakistan's parliamentary affairs minister, Sher Afgan Khan Niazi, who sponsored the resolution, said the award would "encourage people to commit blasphemy against the prophet Mohammad." The provincial assembly in Northwest Frontier Province issued a resolution saying Rushdie was "hated in the Muslim world" and called the award "part of a campaign being waged in Europe and the West to hurt the feelings of Muslims."

On Sunday, Iran condemned the honor for Rushdie. "Giving a medal to someone who is among the most detested figures in the Islamic community is . . . a blatant example of the anti-Islamism of senior British officials," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini.

A spokeswoman for the British foreign ministry, who spoke on the condition of anonymity following standard government practice here, said Brinkley expressed "deep concern" to Pakistani officials over comments reportedly made Monday by Pakistan's religious affairs minister, Mohammad Ejaz-ul-Haq. Various news agencies reported that Ejaz-ul-Haq said, during Monday's parliamentary debate over Rushdie's honor: "If someone commits suicide bombing to protect the honor of the prophet Mohammad, his act is justified."

He later returned to parliament to say that he was not supporting or trying to incite suicide bombing, but simply trying to explain its origins, according to news reports.

"The British government is very clear that nothing can justify suicide bomb attacks," the foreign office spokeswoman said.

The spokeswoman downplayed the significance of the disagreement with Pakistan, which she described as a "key ally" of Britain.

Special correspondent Karla Adam contributed to this report.