"Religion Has Often Been Used In Muslim Countries For Political Ends," Says Jemima Khan

Recalling some of her 'not-so-happy' experiences in Pakistan when she was 'married to an outspoken politician' Jemima Khan remembers her sufferings in the country where religion is 'used to justify political attacks'.

In an article in 'Sunday Telegraph' of London Jemima remembered rather bitterly that during the 1997 election campaign, Imran Khan, her former husband, was widely accused of being part of a Zionist conspiracy because of his marriage to a person 'with a Jewish father and Jewish maiden name,' according to Dawn.

She recalled that during the 2004 election campaign she had said in an interview that she had studied Salman Rushdie's book Shame for her university thesis on post-colonial literature.

"A mob of crazed (and politicised) mullahs allied to the party created by Pervez Musharraf, PML-Q (the Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid), insisted that this admission was tantamount to apostasy, that my citizenship be revoked and that I be thrown out of the country."

"They took out full-page newspaper ads, inciting people to riot outside our home. Bearded fundos took to the streets with placards bearing my name (misspelt) and the word 'infidel'. In both cases, religion was used to justify what were in fact political attacks," Jemima added.

She said that in 1998 Nawaz Sharif's government had falsely accused her of smuggling antiques - a non-bailable offence. "I'm afraid I scampered before I could be arrested and only returned to Pakistan six months later, once there had been a military coup and the charges against me had been dropped."

Jemima said that earlier in 1997 Benazir Bhutto had alluded to the claims of Imran Khan being a part of Zionist conspiracy on national television. "My then-husband had an untarnished political record, but a wife with a Jewish father and a Jewish maiden name was his Achilles heel," she lamented.

"A bogus cheque for £40 million, supposedly from my father to fund Imran's campaign, appeared in all the Pakistani newspapers. The fact that he failed to win a single seat, partly thanks to the smear campaign, put paid to the accusation.

"Imran experienced all the disadvantages of marrying a girl with money and, being a proud, self-sufficient type, none of the advantages," Jemima said.

"Religion has often been used in Muslim countries for political ends," she said. (DNA)

***** At this point in time we are not quite in the same league as Pakistan; but who is to say that we won't slide down to their level in the future? Scary scenario though.
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