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Anti-Salman Rushdie protests: Sindh CM to surrender ancestors’ British medals

By Razzak Abro

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim announced Thursday that he would surrender the titles and medals given to his ancestors by the British rulers to protest the knighting of writer Salman Rushdie.

Speaking at a hurriedly called press conference at Chief Minister House, he said that the British rulers had awarded medals and titles to his family members. King George VI had given a medal to his grandfather, Arbab Mir Muhammad, on May 12, 1937, and his uncle Arbab Togachi was awarded a medal and the title of ‘Khan Saheb’ on January 1, 1945.

Rahim held up the medal and a certificate given to his ancestors and declared that he would return them to the British High Commission in Karachi, as he did not have enough money to go to England. He said that he had taken the decision according to his conscience.

The chief minister appealed to other leaders, including the self-exiled Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairperson Benazir Bhutto, to return the titles and medals the British rulers awarded their elders. He said that the British rulers had awarded Benazir’s grandfather, Shahnawaz Bhutto, the title of “Sir”. Similarly, the first chief minister of the Sindh, Sir Ghulam Hussain Hidayatullah, another chief minister (and father of the provincial minister Dr Hamida Khuhro) Khanbahadur Ayub Khuhro and others had been awarded different titles.

Rahim said that different personalities in Sindh, including Allah Bux Soomro, had already surrendered their titles during the British rule after the Muslims had launched a movement against the Raj. He said that then chief minister Allah Bux Soomro had returned his title ‘Khanbahadur’ which was why he was removed from office.

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