Archbishop of Canterbury revokes 9/11 interfaith award after cleric's praise of bin Laden resurfaces
Dame Sarah Mullally, the first female Archbishop of Canterbury, withdrew the Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation from Pakistani cleric Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi. The award was originally presented on September 11, 2026, the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, but rescinded days later after 2007 comments in which Ashrafi praised bin Laden as a 'sword of God' resurfaced. Lambeth Palace cited the comments as incompatible with interfaith principles, while Ashrafi claimed the remarks were taken out of context. Critics question the lack of due diligence, and some warn the reversal could provoke backlash against Christians in Pakistan.