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Church of England Withdraws 9/11 Anniversary Hubert Walter Award

By Drooid · Sep 18, 2026, 3:24 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Mullally Withdraws Award

Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally withdrew the Hubert Walter Award from Pakistani cleric Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi.
The award had been presented on 11 September 2026, the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
National Secular Society called the award obscene and an insult on the 9/11 anniversary.
Lambeth Palace said the withdrawal shows its commitment to interfaith dialogue despite the controversy.

Summary

Ashrafi Defends Blasphemy

Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council, defended Pakistan’s blasphemy laws.
He said the laws save lives by preventing vigilante justice against alleged offenders.
Ashrafi cited his 2012 intervention in the Rimsha Masih case as proof of protecting Christians.
He told the BBC his support stems from Muslim hurt over Western actions and denied endorsing terrorism.

History

Historical Context

The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people, reshaped global religious tensions and prompted worldwide international interfaith initiatives and efforts. The National Secular Society, founded in 1866, has campaigned for secularism for over 150 years, condemning religious awards on sensitive dates. Archbishop Sarah Mullally withdrew the Hubert Award from Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi after the Secular Society called it an insult on the September 11 anniversary. The episode revives blasphemy-law debates, echoing Ashrafi’s 2012 defense of the Rimsha Masih case and urging the Pakistan Ulema Council and BBC to reassess interfaith diplomacy.

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Mullally Withdraws Award

Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally withdrew the Hubert Walter Award from Pakistani cleric Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi.
The award had been presented on 11 September 2026, the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
National Secular Society called the award obscene and an insult on the 9/11 anniversary.
Lambeth Palace said the withdrawal shows its commitment to interfaith dialogue despite the controversy.

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