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Pakistan fatwa minister to stay Pakistan fatwa minister to stay
(about 2 hours later)
Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has rejected an offer to resign by the tourism minister, who has been under strong pressure from hard-line clerics.Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has rejected an offer to resign by the tourism minister, who has been under strong pressure from hard-line clerics.
Mr Aziz said that the minister, Nilofar Bakhtiar, was needed in the cabinet and she should carry on with her duties.Mr Aziz said that the minister, Nilofar Bakhtiar, was needed in the cabinet and she should carry on with her duties.
Last month, a fatwa was issued against her after she was pictured hugging a man following a paragliding flight.Last month, a fatwa was issued against her after she was pictured hugging a man following a paragliding flight.
Clerics said Ms Bakhtiar's behaviour was obscene. She said the photo was misleading and she had done no wrong.Clerics said Ms Bakhtiar's behaviour was obscene. She said the photo was misleading and she had done no wrong.
Morality 'violation'Morality 'violation'
The women's wing of the Pakistan Muslim League party also said on Wednesday that Ms Bakhtiar's recent removal as president of the group was not connected with the hugging incident. Prior to her submitting her resignation as minister, Ms Bakhtiar had lost her job as president of the women's wing of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League party.
The party welcomed the prime minister's rejection of her resignation.
Unfortunately some irresponsible elements in Pakistan presented this noble cause in a malicious manner Tourism Minister Nilofar Bakhtiar Does fatwa promote bigotry?Unfortunately some irresponsible elements in Pakistan presented this noble cause in a malicious manner Tourism Minister Nilofar Bakhtiar Does fatwa promote bigotry?
The tourism minister made the jump in France in March to raise money for victims of the 2005 Kashmir earthquake. The party said on Wednesday that her removal from the post was not connected with the hugging incident and it welcomed the prime minister's rejection of her resignation.
Clerics described her behaviour as obscene, but she said that newspaper photographs showing her hugging her elderly instructor shortly afterwards were misleading. The BBC's Syed Shoaib Hasan in Islamabad says the affair reflects differing attitudes towards Islamic fundamentalism within the ruling party.
Hard-line clerics at the radical Lal Masjid (Red Mosque) Islamabad issued a religious edict condemning her behaviour, saying it violated Islamic morality. The row emerged after the tourism minister made the jump in France in March to raise money for victims of the 2005 Kashmir earthquake.
At the time she vowed not to be intimidated but officials on Tuesday confirmed reports that she had handed in her resignation. Newspaper photographs showed her hugging her elderly instructor after the jump.
"Despite my exceptional commitment to the cause of tourism in Pakistan, I have taken the decision due to unavoidable circumstances," she said in a letter faxed to newspapers. The hug that caused all the fuss
The madrassa administration is accused of being 'extremist' Hard-line clerics at the radical Lal Masjid (Red Mosque) in Islamabad issued a fatwa, or religious edict, condemning her behaviour, saying it violated Islamic morality.
"French media praised my daring attempt but unfortunately some irresponsible elements in Pakistan presented this noble cause in a malicious manner," she told the Dawn newspaper. At the time Ms Bakhtiar vowed not to be intimidated, but officials on Tuesday confirmed reports that she had handed in her resignation.
She was quoted as saying she had been hurt by the way the issue was sensationalised and that her parachute jump had been for a noble cause.She was quoted as saying she had been hurt by the way the issue was sensationalised and that her parachute jump had been for a noble cause.
'No regrets'
Earlier she had shrugged off the clerical criticism, saying she would do another jump for a good cause.
"We don't need to be intimidated by these people," she told Reuters Television in April. "I have no regrets... I would do it again happily if it helps the people of Pakistan.""We don't need to be intimidated by these people," she told Reuters Television in April. "I have no regrets... I would do it again happily if it helps the people of Pakistan."
The BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad say the incident highlights a growing climate of extremism in Pakistan. Observers say the affair highlights a growing climate of extremism in Pakistan.
In February a female provincial minister was shot dead by a man who, police said, did not think women should be in politics.In February a female provincial minister was shot dead by a man who, police said, did not think women should be in politics.
The clerics who denounced the tourism minister have set up their own vigilante anti-vice squads in the capital.The clerics who denounced the tourism minister have set up their own vigilante anti-vice squads in the capital.