With Salman Khan's conviction by a Jodhpur court today in the blackbuck poaching case, many have risen in support of the icon- including Pakistan foreign minister Khawaja Asif.

Khawaja Asif has come out with a rather uncanny rationale behind Salman Khan's conviction by attributing his fate to his religion. He said that 'Khan was sentenced because he is a minority'. The Bollywood actor has been sentenced to five years in prison.

Speaking at Pakistan media channel Geo TV's news programme called Capital Talk, the foreign minister slammed the verdict against the Bollywood icon and reasoned, "Salman Khan has been sentenced because he is a minority."

Khawaja Asif was in conversation with Geo TV's news anchor Hamid Mir, when he made the statement.

He further added, "To sentence him in a case that is twenty years old goes on to show that lives of those who are Muslims, 'untouchables' or Christians are not valued in India,"

In a blatant attack on India's ruling party and its alleged tool of politics, Khawaja Asif added, "May be if he belonged to the religion of the ruling party of India he would not have been given such a harsh sentence and the court might have been lenient with him."

Salman Khan was found guilty today of killing two blackbucks on the intervening night of October 1-2, 1998 in the Kankani village near Jodhpur in Rajasthan.

In addition to a five year jail term, the Bollywood star has also been slapped with a fine of Rs 10,000.

The other accused in the case - Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Sonali Bendre, Neelam - and a local named Dushyant Singh have been acquitted in the case. They were in Rajasthan for the shoot of Hum Saath Saath Hain when the incident took place.

Also read: Mythology to history, what makes blackbucks so special that got Salman Khan in jail

Also read: Salman to be lodged in Jodhpur jail along with Asaram Bapu, Shambhulal Regar, Lawrence Bishnoi

Watch: Inside Jodhpur jail after Salman Khan's conviction in blackbuck poaching case



