Punjab governor Taseer laid to rest

 LAHORE: Punjab Governor Salman Taseer has been laid to rest with all national honour in Shuhada Cemetery at Cavalry Ground here by the side of martyrs of Pakistan Army, Geo News reported Wednesday.

Earlier, funeral prayers for his eternal peace were offered at Governor House attended by thousands of people including government officials, political leaders and other renowned persons from every walk of life.

Allama Afzal Chisti of Ulema Wing of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) led the funeral prayers of the deceased Taseer. 

President Asif Ali Zardari sent a sheet of flowers to be laid on Taseer’s body. It should be mentioned here that Zardari dispatched Faryal Talpur to represent him through the last religious rituals of
Governor Taseer.

After funeral, his body was brought to Cavalry Ground on board a helicopter. Government high-ups also arrived at the cemetery aboard another helicopter. 

A Punjab Police contingent gave final salute to Punjab Governor Taseer at Cavalry Ground. Taseer’s body was wrapped up in national flag.

Various government high-ups including Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Ahmed Mukhtar, Ghulam Ahmed Bilour, Khurshid Shah, Farooq H Naek, Chaudhry Zaheeruddin, Raja Riaz, Amin Fahim, Qaim Ali Shah, Manzoor Wattoo, Qamaruz Zaman Kaira, Babar Awan, Jahangir Badar and Federal Interior Minister Rehman A Malik attended the funeral. 

Leaders of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) including Hyder Abbas Rizvi, Babar Ghauri, Wasay Jalil, Raza Haroon and Saif Yar Khan were also present in the funeral.

Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) leaders included Malik Nadeem Kamran and Haji Ehsanud Din Qureshi were also present at Governor House.

Khurshid Kasuri, Ghulam Mustafa Khar and Aitezaz Ahsan also attended the funeral. Various foreign diplomats also came to attend funeral at Governor House.

The national flag is flying at half mast all important places and government buildings and offices, as the federal government yesterday declared three-day mourning in mourning over the assassination of Governor Taseer.

On this occasion, various routes through the city have completely been cordoned off to avert any untoward incident with a large number of law enforcers deployed on vital places.