Woman killed over 'dress code'

2007-02-20 17:00

Rana Jawad

Islamabad - An Islamist gunman assassinated a Pakistani women's activist and provincial minister on Tuesday because she was not wearing Muslim clothing, officials say.

Zilla Huma Usman, 35, the Punjab province minister for social welfare and a supporter of President Pervez Musharraf was killed as she was about to address dozens of people at a political meeting.

"She was shot dead by a fanatic when she was meeting with party workers" at her political office in the central city of Gujranwala, provincial law minister Raja Basharat told AFP.

Police said the bearded lone attacker, identified as Mohammad Sarwar, approached the minister as party activists threw rose petals at her, took out his pistol and shot her in the head.

Local police officer Nazir Ahmad said: "He killed her because she was not observing the Islamic code of dress. She was also campaigning for emancipation of women.

"The suspect is an extremist and he has a history of targeting woman whom he believed to be immoral," he added.

Usman's driver overpowered Sarwar and police arrested him, Ahmad said.

A stonemason and former Islamic student in his 40s, Sarwar was previously held in 2002 in connection with the killing of four prostitutes, but was acquitted due to lack of evidence.

- AFP