Islamabad:
A video showing Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer's assassin singing a hymn while in police custody has appeared on several websites, prompting Pakistani intelligence agencies to launch an investigation to determine how it was circulated.
The video, shot with a mobile phone, shows Mumtaz Qadri, the police guard who gunned down Taseer in Islamabad on Tuesday, singing a hymn after his arrest. A uniformed policeman can be seen sitting next to the bearded Qadri.
(See You Tube video)The video appeared last night on several websites linked to groups with extremist leanings and on Facebook pages eulogising Qadri, who surrendered immediately after shooting Taseer.
Investigators are trying to determine if personnel from Kohsar police station, where Qadri is being held, were involved in making and releasing the video, Geo News channel quoted unnamed sources as saying.A senior officer of Islamabad Police too is looking into the matter as the video had outraged liberals.
Investigators are trying to determine whether Qadri, 26, acted on his own or was part of a wider conspiracy.
Reports have said that Qadri had told several colleagues of his plan to kill Taseer for criticising the blasphemy law.
Ruling Pakistan People's Party leaders have questioned why other personnel in Taseer's security detail did not open fire at Qadri when he began shooting at the Governor.