LAHORE: No replacement of the slain Punjab Home Minister retired Col Shuja Khanzada has been made as yet and sources in the Punjab government say it is hard to find a man having the equal ability and commitment to handle the most difficult task at present.

`I suppose the chief minister will himself assume the charge, an official guessed who was as unsure of the new choice for the slot as were others.

Many doubted the appointment of Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan because of what they said his `political` nature.The analysis was that the late Khanzada was basically a soldier and was fit for handling the tasks of fighting terrorism and crime without giving them any political angle.

He meant business and did not even ask for any postings of anyone in police or other law-enforcement agencies. He was a fighter and would encourage fighters.

The late colonel was a straight forward man and would say no when it required and would not shift the blame of any failure to his team. Any failure would be his failure which he would admit, and he was not politically controversial.

He was asked to raise the counterterrorism force which he did with precision and sincerity of purpose,always remaining in touch with the Turkish experts in the field even from Lahore where he was given the international mobile telephone facility.

`It looks difficult for the government to find a man of equal talent and commitment. Maybe it finds someone who will learn the intricacies of the demanding job over the period of time,` an official said.

Sources said the government had not as yet even temporarily assigned the portfolios to anyone.

`They are lying vacant,` a source said.

The dent made in the provincial administration because of the assassination of the late Mr Khanzada was visible in the pro-vincial administration. Offices related to law and order were functioning but there was a need for security.

Officials said that it was not the late minister who had alone decided to eliminate the Lashkar-iJhangvi leadership. Almost all law enforcement agencies were involved in it. He fell because he proved to be a soft target in view of his Pakhtun tradition of keeping doors openforeveryone.

They said it had now been established that meeting people at private deras by Pakhtuns was like inviting trouble. Similar attacks had been made at the deras of Mr Aftab Sherpao, Mr Amir Muqam, Mian Iftikhar and others in theKhyber Pakhtunkhwa. `Frisking Pakhtuns intending to meet a leader is considered a dishonour but terrorists are using this tradition to hit their targets,` an official said.

The late Mr Khanzada was a brave man who would not even change his schedules for security.

He was given merely an eight-member Elite Force escort. There were no barricades outside his Lahore residence.

Officials said it had not as yet been established that he and others were killed by the banned outfit. The Ahrar Group of the TTP had claimed responsibility but authorities were trying to reach the perpetrators.