Ex-Pak lawmaker offers bounty on anti-Islam film's maker

A former Pakistani lawmaker on Monday offered a $200,000 bounty for anyone who kills the maker of an anti-Islam film during a protest against the movie in Peshawar, days after a federal minister announced a reward of $100,000 for eliminating the person behind the video.

Ikramullah Shahid, thea leader of a faction of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, made the offer before a crowd of 15,000 people during a rally led by the Defa-e-Pakistan Council.

Shahid is a member of the grouping that includes hard-line religious and extremist groups like the Jamaat-ud-Dawah and Sipah-e-Sahaba.

His offer of a bounty came days after Railway Minister Ghulam Ahmed Bilour announced a reward of $100,000 for the maker of the anti-Islam film.

There have been protests against the film across Pakistan and 23 people have been killed during demonstrations on September 21.

Bilour has refused to withdraw the bounty even after the government and his Awami National Party distanced themselves from his actions.

The rally was led by the Council's chairman Saim-ul-Haq and Jamaat-e-Islami chief Munawar Hassan.

Several speakers condemned the movie, saying it hurt the sentiments of Muslims around the world. They demanded "exemplary punishment" for its makers.

The speakers vowed to continue their protests till the film's makers are punished.