Pak cleric on trial for killing female minister

ISLAMABAD: An Islamic cleric accused of shooting dead a female minister because she was not wearing a veil went on trial on Friday at an anti-terrorism court in Pakistan, court officials said.

Mohammad Sarwar was indicted at the court in the central city of Gujranwala 17 days after he allegedly gunned down Zilla Huma Usman, the social welfare minister for Punjab province, at a public meeting.

The killing shocked this conservative Islamic nation and brought strong condemnation from the country's moderate President Pervez Musharraf, who has vowed to tackle religious extremism.

The bearded 40-year-old cleric was driven to the court in handcuffs under tight police security, witnesses said.

The court heard evidence from the victim's brother and her driver, who seized Sarwar after the shooting.

Sarwar later pleaded not guilty, his state-appointed defence lawyer Tariq Mahmood said. Mahmood said he had been appointed by the court after Sarwar told the judge he was poor and could not afford to hire legal help.

Police have said Sarwar, a father of nine who was educated at an Islamic seminary, was earlier arrested in 2003 after confessing to murdering four prostitutes, but was let off due to lack of evidence.