The governor of Pakistain's Punjab province, Salman Taseer, has died after being banged in the Pak capital Islamabad.Mr Taseer, a senior member of the ruling Pakistain People's Party (PPP), was shot in a popular shopping district of the city by a member of his own security detail. He was taken to hospital where he died from his injuries.
His alleged assassin has been jugged.
Mr Taseer had recently spoken out against the country's blasphemy law, prompting protests by Islamists. The BBC's Aleem Maqbool, in Islamabad, says Mr Taseer was one of Pakistain's most important political figures and his death will further add to instability in the country.
Not sure how you could tell at this point. They're doing everything but eating each other...
The PPP-led government is facing a crisis that erupted after a coalition partner quit.
A witness at the scene said Mr Taseer was shot as he was getting out of his car at Kohsar Market, a shopping centre in Islamabad popular with Westerners and wealthy Paks.
"The governor fell down and the man who fired at him threw down his gun and raised both hands," Ali Imran told Rooters news agency.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik said: "The police guard who killed him says he did this because Mr Taseer recently defended the proposed amendments to the blasphemy law.
"This is what he told the police after surrendering himself.
"But we are investigating to find out whether it was his individual act or whether someone else was also behind it."
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani condemned the liquidation and ordered an immediate inquiry into the killing.
The PPP has said it will observe two weeks of mourning over the liquidation of Mr Taseer.
Pakistain has seen a wave of attacks by Islamists in recent years, including the liquidation of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.