Pakistan's former tourism minister Nilofar Bakhtiar, who quit last month, is set to drag the radical clerics of Lal Masjid to court for 'damaging her reputation' by issuing a fatwa against her for 'hugging' a French paratrooper.
Senator Bakhtiar has served a legal notice on the Lal Masjid 'sharia court' on Wednesday for issuing a fatwa, alleging that the decree had damaged her reputation, family honour and political career.
The notice served through Aslam Khaki, asks Mufti Yunus who issued the decree, to apologise for un-Islamic and unlawful conduct that hurt the dignity of an honourable Muslim lady.
The notice warned that the failure to apologise would result in civil and legal proceedings, The Daily Times said.
Bhaktiar, an activist of women's rights as well as a relative of Musharraf's confidant and secretary of National Security Council Tariq Aziz, had reportedly complained of lack of backing for her from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Q after the radical clerics issued the fatwa against her.
The minister had refused to take back her resignation even after Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had rejected it.
She had reportedly met President Pervez Musharraf and explained her reasons for quitting the post.
Bhaktiar had dismissed speculation that she was asked to quit by the prime minister, saying she chose to resign as she was hurt by the malicious criticism following the incident.
She had visited France in March where, aside from attending a fundraiser for the earthquake victims in Pakistan, she went paragliding.
"The French media praised my daring attempt but unfortunately some irresponsible elements in Pakistan presented this noble cause in a malicious manner," she had said.
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