UN condemns Taseer’s killing

NEW YORK - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Tuesday condemned the assassination of Pakistan’s Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, who was gunned down by a bodyguard in Islamabad.

Ban called Taseer a “prominent leader whose death is a loss for Pakistan”.

“The secretary general extends his condolences to the family of Mr. Taseer and to the government and people of Pakistan,” the UN said.

Taseer was shot dead by a guard, Mumtaz Qadri, who was member of the governor’s special security squad. He fired nine bullets from close range as the governor was coming out of a coffee shop towards his vehicle in Kohsar market in the federal capital.

Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani announced three days of state mourning.