$100,000 for killing filmmaker: Pak minister

He contended there was no other way to protest and instil fear among blasphemers than to murder the filmmaker.

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A federal minister in Pakistan on Saturday announced a bounty of $100,000 on the head of the maker of an anti-Islam film that has sparked violent protests,shocking many people with his announcement.

Ghulam Ahmed Bilour,who heads the Railway Ministry,said the reward would be given to the person who kills the filmmaker. He contended there was no other way to protest and instil fear among blasphemers than to murder the filmmaker.

He also called on members of the banned Taliban and al-Qaeda for their support,saying members of these organisations too will be rewarded if they eliminate the maker of the blasphemous film.

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Bilours announcement,made during a news conference in Peshawar,caused consternation as he belongs to the secular Awami National Party (ANP) that rules the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province and is part of the ruling coalition at the centre.

Political leaders expressed shock at his remarks as the Taliban has killed scores of workers and leaders of the ANP.

His remarks came a day after violent protests across Pakistan resulted in 23 deaths and destruction of property worth billions of rupees.

Surprisingly,Bilour acknowledged that he was committing a crime by instigating people to murder but said he was prepared to be a criminal for this cause.

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If there is a case lodged against me in an international court or in this countrys courts,I will ask people to hand me over to (foreign countries)… I want to show these countries that we will not tolerate such things, he was quoted as saying by the Pakistani media.

Meanwhile,Pakistani authorities have arrested nearly 200 people on charges of involvement in violent protests on Friday even as businesses on Saturday counted the cost of a countrywide shutdown and widespread destruction during the demonstrations.

Around 60,000 had participated in the protests.

In Lahore,an anti-terrorism court remanded 36 people to police custody for a fortnight after they were arrested during the protests.

Another anti-terrorism court in Karachi,which witnessed more violence than other cities,remanded some 100 people to police custody.

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They were arrested on charges of violence,arson and damaging public and private property.

As life limped back to normalcy in cities and towns that were rocked by violence,unnamed economic analysts were quoted by The Express Tribune as saying the shutdown due to the holiday declared by the government on Friday could have cost Pakistan an estimated Rs 76 billion.