In a wide-ranging Guardian interview, the former prime minister say he understands anger The Satanic Verses created ‘but you can’t justify what happened’
“Rushdie understood, because he came from a Muslim family. He knows the love, respect, reverence of a prophet that lives in our hearts. He knew that,” Khan said. “So the anger I understood, but you can’t justify what happened.”A year ago, Khan caused consternation in the west and among many Afghans when he welcomed the Taliban’s seizure of power, saying it was “breaking the chains of slavery”.
A top aide, Shahbaz Gill, was arrested on Tuesday and was hospitalised while in custody. Khan said he was beaten and “psychologically broken”. A medical report on Gill said that he had arrived at the hospital with rapid breathing, noting that he was asthmatic. It also referred to “body aches” and “soft tissue tenderness” on his arm, lower back and buttock. He was reported late on Thursday to have been discharged from hospital and to be back in custody.
“What they’re doing to Gill is sending a message to everyone,” he said. “And they have scared our workers. Social media activists have been picked up and we have a very vibrant social media. They’re trying to sort of intimidate the people.” “They were responsible for picking up people, but according to them they were involved in this insurgency, which was going on in Balochistan and the tribal area bordering Afghanistan. So they would blame that, with some justification, because you could not convict terrorists in the courts because you wouldn’t get witnesses,” Khan said.
“There has been no let-up in the harassment of journalists since Khan’s replacement by Sharif as prime minister – quite the contrary,” RSF said in a statement.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Salman Rushdie accused refuses to say if fatwa inspired attackHadi Matar, who is accused of stabbing Salman Rushdie, says he had only read 'a couple of pages' of the novel that prompted the fatwa against the author.
Read more »
'I don't like him very much': Salman Rushdie's accused attacker pleads not guilty to stabbingHadi Matar is being held without bail in western New York on second-degree attempted murder and assault charges.
Read more »
Man accused of stabbing Salman Rushdie to appear in courtHadi Matar, 24, to be arraigned in western New York on second degree attempted murder and assault charges
Read more »
Republicans’ classroom gagging bills are ‘attack on education’, report saysPEN America says ‘educational gag orders’ have increased 250% since 2021 with focus on race and LGBTQ issues
Read more »
Chinese media says Albanese overreacted to beef ban report; Morrison policies attackedA Chinese media outlet says Australia overreacted to fears Beijing was preparing to extend trade sanctions on meat products.
Read more »
Albanese warns of distress for bereaved families over Bali bomb maker Umar Patek early releaseEx-member of terror group linked to al-Qaida helped assemble devices used in 2002 attack
Read more »