Taseer murder: PPP announces 2-week mourning

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has expressed deep grief and sorrow over the assassination of Salman Taseer, Governor of Punjab in a market here on Tuesday.

The Pakistan Peoples Party has announced two-week mourning on the assassination of Punjab Governor, while Prime Minister Gilani has announced a three-day state mourning on the incident.

Gilani has cancelled all his engagements, including the briefing to parliamentary leaders of different political parties on petroleum prices, because of the tragic assassination.

National flag will remain at half mast. The Prime Minister has also ordered state funeral for late Salman Taseer. He will be laid to rest with full state honour.

The Prime Minister ordered for a high level inquiry into the incident and asked for submission of a report at the earliest. The culprits involved in the assassination, he said, would be brought to justice.

The Prime Minister talked to President Asif Ali Zardari by telephone and apprised him of the sad incident. He also contacted the family members of Salman Taseer by telephone and expressed his heartfelt condolences.

Zardari Grieves

President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the assassination of Governor Punjab Salman Taseer and directed the Interior Minister Rahman Malik to personally supervise the investigation and report to him urgently.

The President was informed about the tragic assassination during a meeting with the Members of the Provincial Assembly of the PPP at Bilawal House here.

The Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah will proceed to Lahore to participate in the funeral on behalf of the President.

Describing the crime as ‘most ghastly’, the President said that no words were strong enough to condemn it. The perpetrators of this heinous crime must be punished, he said.

Paying tributes to the late Governor, the President said that Salman Taseer was endowed with great courage and energy who employed these qualities in the service of the province and the country. He faced the vicissitudes of life with composure, resilience and courage.

The President also prayed to Allah Almighty to rest the departed soul in peace and give courage to members of the bereaved family to bear the loss with fortitude.