Pkistan news: Police in Pakistan say the governor of Punjab province was assassinated by his own bodyguard in a gun attack Tuesday in an Islamabad market area.
Police official Mohammad Iftikhar said Salman Taseer was shot by one of his elite protection squad. Five other people were wounded in the attack.
Taseer's death is being called the highest-profile political assassination since the death of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in December 2007Taseer was a member of Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party and was closely tied to President Asif Ali Zardari, who was Bhutto's husband.
Taseer was also a vocal member of Pakistan's ruling party and recently spoke out against Pakistan's blasphemy law.
The shopping area where the attack took place is known as Khosar market and is popular with westerners and wealthy Pakistanis. The market has long been regarded as a potential target of a militant attack.
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