ISLAMABAD: Pakistan tourism minister Nilofar Bakhtiar has dismissed speculation that she was asked to quit by the prime minister Shaukat Aziz in the wake of a fatwa by clerics for hugging her French trainer, saying she chose to resign as she was hurt by the malicious criticism following the incident. Bakhtiar said she has sent her resignation papers to the PM, but would go public with the reasons only after meeting Aziz.

However, she dispelled an impression that she had been asked by Aziz to quit following pressure from the clerics of Lal Masjid, who issued a fatwa against her for hugging her French para trainer in Paris. "French media praised my daring attempt but unfortunately some irresponsible elements in Pakistan presented this noble cause in a malicious manner," she said.

"Whatever I did was well within the realm of faith and patriotism. I had para-jumped for a noble cause during my stopover in France - charity for the quake-devastated areas of northern Pakistan, and all I got in return for the maiden glide was a congratulatory pat on my shoulders from the instructor."