Salman Taseer swears in as Punjab Governor

APS

LAHORE : Salman Taseer sworn in as 32nd Governor of the Punjab at an impressive ceremony held at Governor House here on Friday evening. Lahore High Court’s Chief Justice Syed Zahid Hussain administered the oath to the new Governor.
Punjab Chief Secretary Javed Mehmood read-out the presidential order regarding appointment of Salman Taseer as Punjab Governor.
The ceremony was largely attended by Taseer’s family, Senior Provincial Minister Raja Riaz, former caretaker federal minister for finance Dr Salman Shah, former foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, Lahore District Nazim Mian Amir Mahmood, Lahore High Court judges, high officials of the bureaucracy,industrialists, several PPP office-bearers and notables of the city.

Everyone to have access to Governor House: Taseer



LAHORE:The newly appointed Punjab Governor Salman Taseer in his maiden speech has assured that everyone would have access to Governor House. He was addressing the audience soon after oath at Governor House on Friday.
He said, “The doors of Governor House will remain open to everyone as it will be a people’s Governor House”.
He said that he was the PPP federal government’s representative in Punjab but he will give equal importance to all people irrespective of their political affiliantions.
Taseer expressed the resolve to fully honour the mandate given to him by co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and strive to keep the democratic process continue in the province.
“There is no ultimate victory or defeat in the politics”, he said and observed that no one could teach them ‘what is democracy?’ as they strived for democracy for 25 long years and after facing many ups and downs on this passage, he assumed as Governor today.
Taseer further said that Bhutto family rendered supreme sacrifices for restoration of democracy in the country.
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto won the hearts of the people of Punjab by striving and raising voice for the rights of the poor. “We will also spill our blood in Liaquat Bagh and Adyala Jail for the sake of democracy,” he asserted.
He said they would field Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to contest the election, adding that entire Punjab was like Larkana.
Salman Taseer also paid great tributes to the performance of the outgoing Governor Khalid Maqbool, who remained as Punjab Governor from October 28, 2001 to May 15, 2008.