Archbishop of Canterbury Withdraws Award From Pakistani Cleric Over Past Bin Laden Praise
The Archbishop of Canterbury has withdrawn a reconciliation and interfaith cooperation award presented to Pakistani cleric Tahir Ashrafi after past remarks praising Osama bin Laden resurfaced. Ashrafi, who chairs the Pakistan Ulema Council, said in 2007 that the council had awarded bin Laden the title Saifullah, meaning “Sword of Allah”. He linked the decision to Britain’s knighthood for author Salman Rushdie. Lambeth Palace said the award had recognised Ashrafi’s support for religious minorities and Christian communities in Pakistan. However, it said the newly highlighted comments led it to reconsider and withdraw the honour. The decision followed criticism from politicians and secular campaigners, who questioned the vetting carried out before the award was presented.
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