Salman Taseer's killing reflects growing intolerance in Pakistan: Media

Describing as "utter madness" the assassination of Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer by one of his guards who was angered by his opposition to blasphemy law, the Pakistani media today said it was a reflection of the growing "cancer of intolerance" in the society.

Taseer was an outspoken critic of the blasphemy law and "paid the ultimate price for his rejection of the cancer of intolerance that has aggressively eaten away at this country for over three decades," the influential Dawn newspaper said in an editorial titled The Cancer Within.

The 66-year-old governor was shot dead by policeman Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri, who was part of his security detail, at a market in the heart of Islamabad yesterday.

The headline on the front page of the Dawn read Blasphemy law claims another life while The Express Tribune simply headlined its report: Paying the price: Silenced.

The Daily Times, which was owned and published by Taseer, described the governor's killing as "yet another high profile murder of a political figure" from the ruling PPP after former premier Benazir Bhutto. It raised questions in its editorial whether the assassin had acted alone.

Referring to interior minister Rehman Malik's statement that the assassin confessed to killing Taseer for criticising the blasphemy law, the editorial said: "However, it would be premature to say that this indeed was the motive behind the assassin's act. This explanation sounds too pat."

"If history is any guide, such minor operatives act as tools in the hands of their cloaked masterminds and are usually killed after the deed is done...

"Only time will tell whether this was an individual act or someone orchestrated it to create political instability in the country at a time when the federal government is already teetering after losing its majority in Parliament...," said the editorial titled A Foul Murder.

The Express Tribune newspaper termed the assassination as "utter madness" and said: "...it was heartening to finally see someone speak with the voice of progressiveness and respect for human rights that the PPP had historically been associated with. And now it is revolting to see the same man done to death, so viciously, and that too by a member of his own police guard..."

Taseer had angered religious groups and Islamic clerics when he openly spoke out for the repeal or amendment of the blasphemy law after a court in Punjab gave the death sentence to Asia Bibi, a 45-year-old Christian woman, for insulting Prophet Mohammed.

Despite criticism from hardliners, Taseer had also backed calls for Asia Bibi to be pardoned.