Unhappy over the UK's decision to confer knighthood on India-born author Salman Rushdie, Pakistan summoned the British High Commissioner to the Foreign Office on Tuesday to convey its resentment.
The British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Robert Brinkley, was called to the Foreign Office and told that it was not expected from the UK government, which has a large Muslim population, to honour Rushdie whose writings have 'hurt' Muslims all over the world, Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said.
She said 59-year-old Rushdie, whose book Satanic Verses infuriated Muslims, was known less for his literary contributions and more for his 'offensive and insulting writings that caused deep hurt to Muslims all over the world'.
Brinkley was told that Pakistan deeply resent the decision of the British government to award a knighthood to Rushdie, she said.
The British envoy was also given the copies of the resolutions passed by the Pakistan Parliament condemning the UK government's decision.
The resolutions adopted by the National Assembly and Senate deplored the move and regretted that it went contrary to efforts to build bridges among different religious faiths.
Earlier, Rushdie dominated the proceedings of Pakistan's Parliament for the second consecutive day with the Senate adopting a resolution seeking its withdrawal.
The National Assembly had, on Monday, passed a similar resolution.
