Sir Salman slammedPrint
World
Tuesday, 19 June 2007 06:04
Pakistan officially branded Mr. Salman Rushdie a "blasphemer", thanks to a successful resolution by the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sher Afgna Khan Niazi.  Then he said something that struck me as very inconsistent by muslim standards: "......Every religion should be respected."   Tell that to every Jew or Christian killed or maimed by beheading, torture, or suicide bombings because the muslims truly "respected" them.   At least one person, Khwaja Asif, brought things back down to earth when he pointed out the resolution exposed a contradiction. 
Lawmakers in Pakistan's lower house of parliament yesterday passed a resolution proposed by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sher Afgan Khan Niazi, who branded Mr. Rushdie a "blasphemer." Mr. Rushdie was born in India into a Muslim family.
    "The 'sir' title from Britain for blasphemer Salman Rushdie has hurt the sentiments of the Muslims across the world. Every religion should be respected. I demand the British government immediately withdraw the title as it is creating religious hatred," Mr. Niazi told the National Assembly.
    Lawmakers voted unanimously for the resolution, although one opposition member, Khwaja Asif, said it exposed a contradiction in the government's policy as an ally of Britain in the international war on terrorism.
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