Lahore: Some leaders of the ruling
Pakistan People's Party on Wednesday contended that Punjab Governor
Salman Taseer's assassination for opposing the country's
blasphemy law showed that "anti-democratic forces" were
conspiring against the party's top leadership.
"Taseer's murder carries a message for President
Zardari," a senior PPP leader, who did not want to be named,
said.
Some leaders, who spoke on condition of anonymity,
said "anti-democratic forces" were conspiring against the PPP
and the President, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and other
high-profile personalities of the party.
These personalities would have to take extra measures
for their security, the leaders said.
In a related development, the federal Interior
Ministry today asked the four provincial governments to submit
records of police officials assigned to guard VIPs and VVIPs.
Taseer was gunned down in a market in Islamabad
yesterday by one of his guards who was angered by the
Governor's criticism of the blasphemy law.
Taseer had also earned the ire of religious hardliners
after he spoke out in defence of a Christian woman sentenced
to death last year for insulting the Prophet Mohammed.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, January 05, 2011, 20:46