Senate condemns Britain for knighting Rushdie

The Senate on Tuesday joined condemnation course as anger over the British knighthood to blasphemous writer Salman Rushdie for his controversial novel "The Satanic Versu" grew in Pakistan.
In a unanimous resolution, the Upper House strongly condemned what it called a "blatant disregard for the sensitivity of the Muslims of the world" shown by the British government. Moved by Leader of the House Wasim Sajjad, the resolution demanded the knighthood conferred on Salman Rushdie on June 16 be withdrawn.
It read: "It is time to create better understanding among people of different faiths and create interfaith harmony. Such steps will create further cleavages in relations between the West and Islam."
On Monday, Pakistan foreign ministry said the decision to give Salman the knighthood was "insensitive" and that it would convey these sentiments to the British government. The National Assembly also passed a unanimous resolution to condemn the award and called for its withdrawal the same day.
In the same night, The British High Commission in Islamabad moved to defuse the row. He said it was untrue that the knighthood was intended to insult Islam or the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).
"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. "It is simply untrue that this knighthood is intended as an insult to Islam or the Prophet Mohammed."
The publication of Salman's book The Satanic Verses in 1989 sparked protests by Muslims around the world. A fatwa against Salman was issued in 1989 in Iran, calling for his execution.
The knighthood has also been roundly condemned by many other Pakistani politicians and media outlets, many of which have given the issue prominent coverage. Salman 59, was one of almost 950 people to appear on the Queen's Birthday Honours list, which is aimed at recognising outstanding achievement.
The controversial Indian-born author's fourth book - The Satanic Verses in 1988 - describes a cosmic battle between good and evil and combines fantasy, philosophy and farce. It was immediately condemned by the Islamic world because of its blasphemous depiction of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
It was banned in many countries with large Muslim communities and in 1989 Ayatollah Khomeini, Iran's spiritual leader, issued a fatwa. In 1998, the Iranian government said it would no longer support the fatwa, but some groups have said it is irrevocable. The following year, Salman returned to public life.