International media supporting Imran Khan after Rushdie attack condemnation: JUI-F chief

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 26 (ANI): Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman has claimed that the international media is supporting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, after the former premier condemned the attack on author Salman Rushdie.
In a statement on Wednesday cited by The Nation, the JUI-F leader asked the United Nations on what ground was the UN expressing sympathy with Imran Khan.
The JUI-F supremo said that after the PTI chairman condemned the attack on Rushdie, the world institutions started to mount pressure on Pakistan.
He said that at present, the state institutions are under severe international pressure. The state institutions are delaying the action against Imran Khan's unlimited corruption, claimed Rehman, The Nation reported.
He also took a swipe at the top brass of the PTI.
Rehman said that Imran and his party leadership consider themselves beyond the constitution and law.
JUI-F will not refrain from any role in the protection of the country's ideological foundation and constitution, he added.
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the UK newspaper had taken his comments on author Salman Rushdie's attack "out of context".
Imran had described the knife attack on the Indian-born novelist as "sad" and "terrible".
"Rushdie understood because he came from a Muslim family. He knows the love, respect, and reverence of a prophet that lives in our hearts. He knew that. So the anger I understood, but you can't justify what happened," the PTI chief told UK-based The Guardian.
However, PTI later clarified that what Imran Khan had said was taken out of context.
Renowned author Rushdie, who faced death threats over his book 'The Satanic Verses', was stabbed on stage in New York state. The Booker Prize-winning author was attacked as he was about to give a lecture.
Rushdie has suffered years of death threats over his book 'The Satanic Verses' which was severely criticised by Islamic clerics. (ANI)