Britain's foreign aecretary Margaret Beckett today defended the award of a knighthood to Satanic Verses author Salman Rushdie, but said she was "sorry" if it had offended some Muslims.
Her comments came after talks in London with the foreign minister of Iraq, Hoshyar Zebari, who said the award was "untimely" as it would be exploited by groups seeking to stir up trouble around the world.
Meanwhile, a Pakistani government minister went on British radio to deny having said it would be justified for suicide bombers to kill Rushdie.
Britain's high commissioner in Islamabad yesterday voiced the UK's "deep concern" over reports that religious affairs minister Mohammed Ijaz ul-Haq told the country's parliament on Monday that "if someone exploded a bomb on his body he would be right to do so unless the British Government apologises and withdraws the 'Sir' title".
Mr ul-Haq today insisted the reports were based on a mistranslation of his comments.
"What I said was that such acts not only hurt the feelings of Muslims, but provoke acts of militancy and terrorism and those taking part in these acts then justify doing whatever they are doing," he told BBC Radio 5 Live's Driveprogramme.
"I didn't say that it is justified. There is a difference. They are using it as an excuse."
Pakistan's National Assembly has demanded that Britain withdraw the honour, unanimously adopting a resolution condemning it as "an insult to the religious sentiments of Muslims".
The award has also prompted an Islamic rebel group in Indian-controlled Kashmir to call for a protest strike in the region.
Asked about the affair following talks with Mr Zebari on other issues at the Foreign Office today, Mrs Beckett said: "Obviously, we are sorry if there are people who have taken very much to heart this honour, which is after all for a life-long body of literary work.
"But can I just point out something, which I suspect may not be realised by many of those who have been vocal in their opposition, which is that Salman Rushdie is only one of many Muslims who have been honoured through the British honours system.
"Indeed, a very senior Muslim activist in the UK received a knighthood last year.
"This is part of the pattern that people who are members of the Muslim faith are very much part of our whole wider community. They hold elected office in this country, including in the House of Commons, and they receive honours in this country in just the same way as any other citizen."
Rushdie provoked the wrath of many Muslims who felt his 1988 novel, The Satanic Verses, was blasphemous about Islam.
Copies of the book were burned on the streets of Bradford, West Yorkshire, and the author was forced into hiding after Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa - or religious edict - calling for his death.
PA