Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer was assassinated in Islamabad by his bodyguard on Tuesday afternoon.
According to initial reports an Elite Force guard fired at Governor Taseer, who was hit in the chest and upper half of the body. The Elite Force guard said he killed governor over defending a Christian woman who was allegedly involved in blasphemy. The guard was identified as Malik Mumtaz Qadri.
Salmaan Taseer recently came to the rescue of a woman condemned to death by a local court for blasphemy. Since then clerics were very hostile towards Taseer. The Governor was an old member of the PPP and started his political career in the 1970’s.
The tragic incident occurred near Kohsar Market.
Taseer was shifted to Polyclinic for treatment in critical condition. However, he could not survive and died. Punjab Governor’s Public Relation Officer Farukh Shah confirmed the death of Taseer. The doctors said that Taseer received 9 bullets fired at close range.
