ISLAMABAD – Former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan first condemned the knife attack on Salman Rushdie, but later said his statement was taken out of context.
Khan’s remarks about the attack on Rushdie during an interview to a British daily caused a furrore in the country.
During his interaction with social media influencers in the country’s federal capital, the PTI chief clarified that he shared his views about the Islamic view on punishments for people accused of blasphemy.
He continued saying that he commented in this context. He also cited examples of the Sialkot incident in the context of the attack on Rushdie – the international author whose novel sparked controversy in the Muslim world.
The cricketer turned politician recalled the horrible Sialkot incident where a Sri Lankan national was lynched by a mob last year.
Earlier in December 2021, Imran Khan, who was then Prime Minister, vowed to punish those responsible for the lynching incident. The former PM had called the incident a horrific vigilante attack, saying killing and burning the Sri Lankan manager alive was a day of shame for Pakistan.
Lamenting the silence of Pakistani politicians over Islamophobic incidents, Khan said he always stands against anti-Islam incidents as he is a lover of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
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Khan commented on the matter as the controversial novelist Salman Rushdie received serious wounds to his neck and stomach by a Muslim assailant onstage during a lecture in New York on August 12.
