May 17, 2008	Saturday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 11, 1429

LAHORE, May 16: The new Governor of Punjab, Mr Salman Taseer, has vowed to make the province a stronghold of the Pakistan People’s Party.

In a brief speech after taking oath on Friday, Mr Taseer said he represented the PPP in the province.

Amid chants of ‘Jeay Bhutto’ and ‘Zinda hai Benazir zinda hai,’ he vowed to get young PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari elected to the National Assembly from Punjab. He said he would work to convert Punjab into a PPP stronghold, like Larkana.

Lahore High Court Chief Justice Syed Zahid Husain administered the oath.

The Pakistan Muslim League-N leadership and its provincial ministers boycotted the ceremony in protest against Mr Taseer’s appointment, while the PML-Q was represented by Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Zaheeruddin and former foreign minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri. Former caretaker finance minister Salman Shah was also present.

The PPP was represented by its parliamentary leader Raja Riaz, former opposition leader in the provincial assembly Qasim Zia, provincial ministers and other leaders and workers.

Mr Taseer said many people had come to Punjab to loot and plunder, while the late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto had won the hearts of the Punjabis. He also chanted the slogans of ‘Jeevey Bhutto’ and ‘Sada Bhutto’.

Recounting what he termed the sacrifices he had rendered for democracy during Gen Ziaul Haq’s period, he said: “Nobody should try to tell us what democracy is.”

Stating that there was no final victory or defeat in politics, Mr Taseer said he would be representing PPP’s federal government in Punjab.

Still, he said, he would treat every person alike, regardless of his political affiliation. “The Governor’s House is open to all -- no matter you belong to the PPP, PML-N or PML-Q.”

Referring to the public mandate received by the PPP, the governor said the democratic process would be promoted in Punjab.

PML-Q’s Chaudhry Zaheeruddin told reporters that he had been invited as the Leader of the Opposition. He said the governor’s was an executive office and it had nothing to do with politics.

Mr Kasuri said he had a long association with Mr Taseer. He said it was for the PPP and PML-N to address their differences.

The ceremony was conducted by Punjab Chief Secretary Javed Mahmood.