Tension in Lahore by the Punjab governor's funeral

Thousands of Pakistanis have gathered today in Lahore to attend the funeral of Salman Taseer, Governor of the province of Punjab shot yesterday. This political crime, the worst since the attack that killed Benazir Bhutto to three years, highlights once again the political divide in a country gripped by Islamist extremism.

Almost at the same time Taseer were buried in a military compound, his murderer was hailed at the gates of the courthouse in Islamabab and a significant association of clergy praised his action. Taseer, 66 years and one of the few Pakistani politicians who had dared to speak out against Islam, died on Tuesday at the hands of one of his bodyguards.

Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri he got a dozen bullets in him and gave to the police. According to a spokesman of the body, was quoted by local media, Hussain Qadri, an elite agent of 26 years, told his interrogators that he had killed the governor "because he opposed the law of blasphemy." This rule punishes with death those who insult Islam.

However, human rights advocates denounce its frequent use to settle scores. Most of those who went to fire Taseer were supporters of Pakistan's ruling Popular Party (PPP), including Prime Minister Yusuf Reza Gilani and other officials. Gilani has declared three days of official mourning.

But murder, convicted by the U.S., EU and UN, has also moved to the liberals out of government who are concerned about the spread of religious extremism in society, and the risk of political chaos. Support the murderer at the other end of the political and sociological, hundreds of supporters of the Islamist jalearon the murderer confessed when police took him to court.

Some threw rose petals as others chanted Allahu akbar (God is Greatest). It was even mocked the police cordon to kiss on the cheek, a clear sign of admiration. Among those present were many lawyers, three hundred of whom volunteered to defend him for free, the agency said. "In Service of the Prophet, death is acceptable," shouted Hussain Qadri to leave the court.

The judge remanded unconditional. Police accused "of murder, terrorism and violence," said one of his lawyers, Sulehria Faruq, told Agence France Presse. This Thursday will have to appear in court on terror. Now researchers must determine whether the guard acted alone or was part of a plot.

For now, police have arrested 10 people, including the security supervisor Taseer and his deputy, according to Interior Minister, Rehman Malik. The expression of sympathy we experienced at the gates of the hearing is not anecdotal. Five hundred clerics and scholars of Ahle Sunnat Jamat group issued a statement warning against the prayers and laments for the death of the governor.

Significantly, this group represents Barelvi school of Islam, which is the majority in Pakistan and is considered moderate in their interpretation of the faith, giving an idea of the degree of radicalization of the country. The text also included a thinly veiled threat to critics of the law against blasphemy.

Taseer visited Asia Bibi, Christian accused of criticizing the Prophet Mohammed whose case has polarized Pakistan, and supported the campaign for his release. "I was pressured to give in to intimidation by right-wingers on blasphemy. I refused. Although it is the last man on earth", tweeted on Friday.

Also the main Islamist political party, Jamaat-e-Islami, justified the murder of the politician. "If the government would have been dismissed, there would be the need for someone to shoot him," he said in a statement. Although Taseer was outside federal policy management, murdered in broad daylight in a shopping area of Islamabad, reinforces the image of instability.

And no one escapes the danger of a nuclear country, where a third of its 170 million inhabitants live on less than one euro a day. The PPP, which has become a minority in parliament after the abandonment of one of its main coalition partner last Sunday, now faces an ultimatum from the Leader of the Opposition.

Nawaz Sharif, much closer to the Islamists, Gilani has given three days from the end of the match to introduce reforms.

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