KARACHI, Pakistan - The governor of Pakistan's largest province--a sharp-tongued supporter of embattled President Asif Ali Zardari and an outspoken critic of religious extremists--was assassinated Tuesday at a genteel market in the nation's capital, allegedly by one of his own security guards, Pakistani news channels reported.
Salman Taseer, the liberal governor of Punjab province, was shot multiple times at the shopping plaza, which is near his home and is frequented by foreigners.
Pakistani news channels reported that police arrested one of Taseer's guards, who allegedly confessed that he was angered by Taseer's recent public endorsement of a pardon for a Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy.
That position had earned him threats from Islamist parties, who held a strike last week against proposed changes to the nation's controversial anti-blasphemy laws. Taseer stood by his stance, recently posting on the social networking site Twitter: "I was under huge pressure sure 2 cow down b4 rightest pressure on blasphemy. Refused. Even if I'm the last man standing."
The slaying came as the nation's main opposition party, which dominates in Punjab, held a news conference to demanded that the federal government implement a list of reforms within three days or risk collapse.
The U.S.-allied government has been on the rocks since Sunday, when Pakistan's second-largest political party defected to the opposition, depriving the ruling coalition led by Zardari's Pakistan People's Party of a parliamentary majority.
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement cited government corruption and a recent gasoline price hike as the reasons it left the government and joined the opposition.
Zadari's options for salvaging his government include trying to win the support of the main opposition party, the Pakistan Muslim League-N, headed by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
But Sharif said Monday that Zadari's party must implement corruption verdicts against government officials, slash government spending and reverse the gasoline price increase.
If the steps are not taken, Sharif said, his party will form a united opposition with MQM, which could force a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani and potentially trigger early elections.
(source:washingtonpost.com)
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