Palmer United Party senator Jacqui Lambie says an Afghan policewoman featured in a controversial Facebook post “would have been the first to agree” with her call to ban the burka.

The photographer who took the picture of Lt Col Malalai Kakar, which was shared online by senator Lambie in a push to ban the burka, has labelled the move appalling and insulting.

Malalai Kakar was Afghanistan’s first policewoman who the Taliban gunned down in her car in 2008. She was well known for her stance on women’s rights.

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Senator Lambie has responded to the photographer’s comments and reports on the image with a letter to the editor, standing by the post.

“On my Facebook I recently re-posted an image of an Afghan policewoman (Malalai Kakar) wearing an extremist’s burka and pointing a handgun. The photographer, who took the iconic picture – after being tracked down by ABC, viciously attacked me,” Lambie wrote.

“In an explosion of vitriol, the photographer described my use of the photograph, which was part of my call for the Australian government to ban the extremist’s burka as appalling and disgusting.

“Her comments are a gross over-reaction. Such was this photographer’s venom, anyone reading the ABC story could be forgiven for thinking it was me who gunned down the Afghan policewoman.

“I wonder what background briefing this ABC reporter gave to this photographer?

“Most of the internet images I’ve seen of Malaliai have been of her dressed without the extremists’ burka.

“This policewoman fought for freedom against the Sharia extremists – so I would have thought part of her fight, was for the right for Afghan women not to wear a burka.

“If there was a reason why this brave woman was shot, my guess is that it was because she chose to defy the sharia extremists and submit to their threats – and dressed without their burka.”

‘Beacon of hope’

Photographer Lana Slezic said she was shocked and appalled the photo she took of Lt Col Kakar in Afghanistan has been used out of context and without permission.

“I’m shocked… I cannot believe how Malalai’s image has been really desecrated on Jacqui Lambie’s Facebook page,” she said.

“It’s a misappropriation of Malalai Kakar’s identity of her family. It’s an insult to her family and her children and I’m appalled by the way it’s been used really.

“She was the pinnacle of strength in Kandahar at a time that was extremely difficult for Afghan women. She was the first female police officer in Kandahar and stood for the rights of women.

“All the women of Kandahar knew who she was and knew they could come to her with their problems. Problems like domestic violence, rape, forced marriage.

“She was their one beacon of hope and in December 2008 she was brutally murdered in front of her family, in front of her home in Kandahar. She was shot by the Taliban.

“To have this image used in this way really is such an insult to Malalai – she would be turning in her grave and I am also deeply insulted by the use of the image in this way.”

Senator Lambie said Malai Kakar “would have been the first to agree with my call to ban the burka”.

“Far from desecrating her memory, may Facebook post honours her and the deadly struggle against brutal thugs and extremists,” she wrote.

“As a police officer she would have known how easy it was to conceal weapons or bombs capable of killing large numbers of innocents under a burka.

“She would have known how much safer it would be in public if the burka was banned.”

Senator Lambie labelled the ABC story “a disgusting, unprofessional beat up – which will embolden and put a smile on the faces of the Sharia extremists”.

“I hope the ABC and the photographer now put as much energy into attacking the extremists and their disgusting and appalling behaviours – as they have into a soft political target.”