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Woman Minister shot dead

Nirupama Subramanian

Zil-e-Huma Usman, a provincial Minister, who was shot dead in Gujranwala, Pakistan, on Tuesday.

ISLAMABAD: A woman Minister of the Punjab provincial cabinet was shot dead by a man at a public meeting in Gujranwala, 70 km from Lahore on Tuesday, police and officials said.

The Minister for Social Welfare Zil-e-Huma Usman in the Punjab Provincial Government died in hospital of a bullet wound.

The Minister's aides overpowered the assailant and handed him over to the police, who identified him as Ghulam Sarwar.

Officials in Gujranwala said he was released last year after being jailed for the murder of 12 women.

According to television reports, the man told those who captured him that he killed the Minister because it was against the shariat for a woman to occupy high office, which would enable them to rule over men.

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