From day one, Mr. Salman Taseer has been talking loud and crass like a true PPP Jiyala. He had declared on the very first day that he wanted to make Lahore the 'Larkana of Punjab'. On another occasion, he said he would turn the Governor House into 'Benazir House' that is open at all hours for the PPP workers - even on Sundays. As per constitution, the Governors and the President are above party politics. They are supposed to be figureheads, the ceremonial appointees in a parliamentary form of government that are supposed to behave with propriety. The point is illustrated by the exemplary behaviour of constitutional appointees in our neighbouring country who are almost invisible. In our country, though, both President and his Governors, and especially the Governor Punjab, are actively interfering in the respective governments mostly unnecessarily. Sometimes they make statements to the press just to make their presence felt in the public. Mr. Taseer has been on collision course with his CM, who is from rival party PML-N, right since the day of his appointment. Before his appointment as Governor, Mr. Taseer figured no where in PPP ranks. In fact, he had literally abandoned politics and was pursuing his various business ventures. Mr. Taseer would be well advised rise above party politics and maintain a neutral posture in the discharge of his duties unless, of course, he has altogether different directions from the PPP high command. -MUHAMMAD AZHAR KHWAJA, Lahore, via e-mail, January 25.