Tahir Ashrafi loses UK award on same day over past bin Laden remarks

Lambeth Palace has withdrawn an award presented to Pakistan Ulema Council Chairman Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi over previous remarks about former Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden.

Ashrafi was presented with the Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation last Friday by Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally at a ceremony at Lambeth Palace.

The award was withdrawn on the same day that Lambeth Palace said previous comments by Ashrafi had come to light and prompted a review of the decision.

“In 2007, Ashrafi said he would give bin Laden the title ‘Saifullah’, meaning ‘Sword of God’, in protest against Britain awarding writer Salman Rushdie a knighthood.

Lambeth Palace said the award had been presented in recognition of Ashrafi’s “longstanding support for religious minorities in Pakistan, particularly the Christian community”.

“Previous comments made by Imam Ashrafi have come to light that have led Lambeth Palace to reconsider this award and we can now confirm today that the award has been withdrawn,” a Palace spokesperson said.