'Praying for Taseer is blasphemy'

Religious fanatics and clerics say anyone praying for slain Pakistan Governor could be killed

Religious fanatics and clerics say anyone praying for slain Pakistan Governor could be killed

Religious party Jamaat-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat says anyone who feels sorrow for slain Governor Salman Taseer (66), is guilty of blasphemy.

It said in a statement, "No Muslim should attend the funeral or even try to pray for Salman Taseer or even express any kind of regret or sympathy over the incident."

Islamists chant slogans in support of arrested Pakistani bodyguard Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri, the alleged killer of Punjab's governor Salman Taseer, during his appearance outside an anti-terrorist
court in Rawalpindi, yesterday

Officials now fear that fundamentalists will target the 6,000 mourners including Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilaniu00a0who attended a funeral ceremony in Lahore before Taseer was buried.

Police chiefs say officers in the city are on maximum alert. Punjab Governor Taseer a senior member of the ruling Pakistan People's Party was shot in the back in Islamabad as he left a restaurant on Tuesday.

He had provoked angry protests in recent weeks because he wanted to scrap blasphemy laws that order death for anyone convicted of insulting Islam.

Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri (26), who has been charged with the murder, appeared in court in Islamabad yesterday and shouted, "We are ready to sacrifice our life for the prestige of the Prophet Muhammad."

Lawyers not working on the case showered the alleged killer with rose petals, and an influential group of Muslim scholars has praised the assassination.

Qadri, who was one of Taseer's bodyguards, says he was enraged by the governor's moderate views.

One of President Asif Ali Zardari's advisers said yesterday a police report compiled months ago concluded that Qadri's extremist views meant he should not be allowed to protect high-profile figures.

Qadri has been remanded in custody and is due back in court today.

A very human view

Salman Taseer was one of Pakistan's most prolific and popular tweeters. Here are some of his most recent tweets:

January 3: So Facebook the social networking site started by a 26-year-old has been valued at $50bn. Same as our foreign debt! Something 2 think about?

December 31: I was under huge pressure 2 cow down b4 rightest pressure on blasphemy. Refused. Even if I'm the last man standing.

December 26: Religious right trying 2 pressurise from the street their support of blasphemy laws. Point is it must be decided in Parliament not on the road.

December 24: Covered in the righteous cloak of religion and even a puny dwarf imagines himself a monster. Important to face. And call their bluff