The son of Benazir Bhutto compared the death of a prominent Pakistan governor to his mother’s assassination at a memorial meeting tonight.

Bilawal Bhutto, now chairman of his mother’s Pakistan People’s Party, told those gathered at the Pakistan High Commission in London that the bravery of liberal Punjab governor Salman Taseer will “never be forgotten”.

Mr Bhutto said: “My mother embraced martyrdom while defending our faith.

”She was martyred doing her jihad against those who had hijacked our religion.

”On January 4, Shaheed Salman Taseer was assassinated because he too refused to be silenced. He too was assassinated in defence of our religion.

”He died defending the message of Islam.”

Those mourning Mr Taseer were told that the 66-year-old, who had a British-born mother, was “the real lion of Punjab”.

Oxford University-educated Mr Bhutto condemned those who have praised Mumtaz Qadri, the bodyguard who said he killed the politician for criticising blasphemy laws.

Addressing Qadri’s supporters, Mr Bhutto said: “You, along with the killers of Shaheed Salman Taseer, are the real blasphemers. Because of you, the message of Islam is distorted in the eyes of the world.”

He stressed he spoke “not as a politician” but a student, and added: “Those who attack my religion, especially those who corrupt its peaceful message, you are what I call covert blasphemers and you will be defeated.

”This will be our jihad.”

Echoing the words he spoke following his mother’s death, he said: “Democracy is always the best revenge.”

Mr Taseer had become involved in the case of a Christian woman who he said was wrongly sentenced to death for insulting Islam’s prophet, Mohammed.

Mr Bhutto promised Christians and members of other minority groups in Pakistan: “We will defend you. For those who wish to harm you for a crime you did not commit, they will have to go through me first.”

Other speakers at the meeting included MPs Gerald Kaufman and Sadiq Khan, who spoke of their sorrow at the politician’s death.

Prayers were said during the gathering, and a minute’s silence held in his honour.

Police are now hunting two men who preached to Qadri, who said he had been inspired by their sermons.