Imran Khan claims his remarks on Rushdie's stabbing taken out of context

In an interview, Khan condemned the knife attack on Rushdie, claiming that the anger of Muslims against the author was understandable but didn't justify the attack.

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan on Saturday claimed that his remarks in a British newspaper regarding the attempted murder of Mumbai-born author Salman Rushdie were "taken out of context".

Rushdie, 75, was stabbed by a 24-year-old New Jersey resident identified as Hadi Matar, the US national of Lebanese origin, on stage last week while he was being introduced at a literary event of the Chautauqua Institution in Western New York.

He suffered three stab wounds to his neck, four stab wounds to his stomach, puncture wounds to his right eye and chest, and a laceration on his right thigh, Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt said during the suspect's arraignment.

In an interview with The Guardian newspaper, Khan condemned the knife attack on Rushdie, claiming that the anger of Muslims against the author was understandable but didn't justify the attack.

"I think it is terrible, sad," Imran told the publication in a comment on the violent attack that put Rushdie on a ventilator.