Maulvi Ghulam Sarwar, 40, shot dead Zill-e-Huma, social welfare minister of Punjab province and an active member of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Q), at her party office in Gujaranwala on February 20, sparking off a public outcry.

Sarwar, who was earlier exonerated of charges of killing four women by different courts for lack of evidence, was convicted of killing Huma by anti-terrorism court judge Tariq Iftikhar after a speedy trial.

The judge sentenced the cleric to death and also slapped a fine of Rs 2 lakh on him. Sarwar, described as a religious fanatic by police officials, was produced in the court amid tight security.

Only journalists were allowed to attend the court hearing. Huma was meeting party activists and supporters when the man got up and opened fire on her, hitting her in the head.

According to the police, Sarwar told them during questioning that he killed Huma as he could not tolerate women occupying senior positions, which was against the tenets of Islam and an attempt to subjugate men.

Police said that so far they have not established that he is linked to any religious or extremist group. Sarwar had earlier confessed to killing four other women because he said they were spreading vice in society.

Huma's murder highlighted the alarming growth of religious extremism and intolerance in some parts of the country and after a hue and cry was raised by civil right bodies and women activists, the government pushed Sarwar's case through court. Officials said during the trial, Sarwar had pleaded not guilty to the murder.