Ex-Pakistani minister murdered

The gunning down late on Tuesday night of prominent politician and former minister Rehana Sarwar remains shrouded in mystery. Rehana  was found murdered in the car which she was driving  just after 10.45pm on Tuesday night.

Rehana Sarwar, the widow of 1965 war hero Major Sarwar, had been active with the PPP since the early 1970s.  Scores of  PPP and other activists, politicians and women rights workers gathered at her home after hearing the news.

She held the post of federal minister for women's affairs in Benazir Bhutto's 1988 cabinet. She was also known for her fiery speeches and role in leading protest campaigns as one of the most daring of political activists during the military rule of General Zia-ul-Haq and  other times when the PPP was in opposition.

Benazir, reacting swiftly to the murder which has shaken Lahore, forwarded  her "deep and heartfelt condolence over this tragic incident" from London yesterday. She is also known to have personally spoken to Rehana's three daughters, son-in-law and other close family members.

The discovery of the body, by passersby  at a spot not far from her home in Lahore cantonment, brought top police officials led by Lahore police chief Kalb-e-Abbas rushing to the spot. The former minister was  shot at close range and at least 11 bullet wounds were visible. Most had hit her in the chest area, and her body was found behind the steering wheel.

Witnesses

Police believe, after interviewing witnesses who had heard the bullets and examining the scene of the crime, that Rehana had been shot dead by "probably four motorcycle riders, who forced her car to a halt before shooting her."

A police statement also seeks public help in locating the "four riders who were at the time wearing T-shirts and carrying automatic weapons." The motives for the murder are unclear. However, police are working on the strong possibility that Rehana was killed over a property dispute.

Her son-in-law Captain (retd.) Farhan Baig yesterday provided details of five separate cases the family was contesting concerning property originally owned by Rehana Sarwar's late husband.
One dispute, involving a person named 'Riaz', included a petrol filling station. Family members have also stated that "we were all receiving death threats recently," while her daughter told police "my mother had herself asked us to be very careful."