The first female Archbishop of Canterbury has revoked an award given to a controversial Pakistani cleric after internet sleuths unearthed several comments and clips of him praising Osama Bin Laden.
On September 11, 2026, Sarah Mullally gave Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, chairman of the Islamic umbrella group and the Pakistan Ulema Council, the Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation at her official residence, saying at the time it was for his “outstanding work as an ambassador of interfaith harmony in Pakistan, known for his commitment to promoting religious tolerance.”
The image of the two of them went viral, given that Ashrafi was standing beside her wearing a niqab.
According to the NY Post, the accolades were short lived, however, after some past choice statements were revealed.
“Ashrafi called the 9/11 architect someone who had “been fighting for Islam against the Russians, Americans, and British,” and described the infamous terrorist on another occasion as deserving of the title “Saifullah,” or “sword of God.” He has also faced criticism for his support of Pakistan’s medieval blasphemy laws.”
In a statement revoking the award, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s office released a statement, saying:
“It is a longstanding principle of interfaith dialogue and co-operation that we must engage with one another across deeply held differences, and that remains the case.
However, previous comments made by Imam Ashrafi have come to light that have led Lambeth Palace to reconsider this award, and we can now confirm today that the award has been withdrawn. We have contacted Imam Ashrafi to make him aware of this decision,”
