Latif Khosa succeeds Taseer as Punjab Governor

Lahore, Jan 13 (PTI) Senior PPP leader Latif KhanKhosa today took oath as Governor of the country''s mostpopulous and politically crucial province of Punjab,succeeding the slain Salmaan Taseer.

Khosa was sworn in by Lahore High Court Chief JusticeIjaz Ahmed Chaudhry during a ceremony held at the Governor''sHouse this evening.

He became the 33rd Governor of Punjab sinceindependence from British rule.

President Asif Ali Zardari appointed Khosa theGovernor following the assassination of Taseer.

Taseer was gunned down in Islamabad on January 4 by apolice guard who said he was angered by the Governor''scriticism of the blasphemy law.

Khosa''s oath-taking ceremony was attended by PunjabChief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Federal Information MinisterQamar Zaman Kaira, PPP secretary general Jahangir Badr, PunjabAssembly Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal, other PPP leaders andparliamentarians.

PPP workers who attended the ceremony held in theDarbar Hall of Governor''s House shouted slogans like"Naara-e-Bhutto", "Jiye Bhutto" and "Zinda hai Bibi zinda hai"as a tribute to slain PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto, who wasassassinated in 2007.