PESHAWAR, Feb 21: Awami National Party (ANP) leader Asfandyar Wali Khan has condemned the killing of Punjab Social Welfare Minister Zille Huma and urged the government to take steps to curb extremism.

In a press release issued here on Wednesday, the ANP leader said the killing of the woman minister by a fanatic in Gujranwala was tragic.

Mr Khan said ANP leaders, including Bacha Khan and Wali Khan, had been opposing use of religion for political purposes for decades. Religious extremism, he maintained, had grown during the Cold War as billions of dollars had been spent on promoting fanaticism.

He expressed concern over the growing trend of religious extremism and said it was a matter of great concern that the killer of Zille Huma had already “killed six people”, but he was still not punished.

The justice system had failed to punish such fanatics for their gruesome acts, Asfandyar regretted.

He criticised the poor law and order situation in the country and called for effective measures for improving the situation.