Islamabad, Jan 12 (IANS) Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari Tuesday night appointed Sardar Latif Khan Khosa as the new Punjab governor, a media report said.

The president has signed a document regarding Khosa's appointment Tuesday night, the Pakistan Times reported quoting Farhatullah Babar, the spokesman for the president.

Khosa, a senior leader of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), succeeds Salman Taseer who was assassinated last week. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had recommended Khosa's name to the president.

Gilani and Khosa held an elaborate meeting Sunday, the same day he sent a summary to the president with recommendation for appointing Khosa as Punjab governor, the newspaper said. Zardari signed the document Tuesday.

Salman Taseer was gunned down by one of his security guards in a posh market in Islamabad Jan 4.

Guard Mumtaz Quadri, who surrendered after the attack, said he killed the official for opposing blasphemy laws.

Meanwhile, the PML-N party (Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz) has welcomed the government's decision to appoint Khosa as Punjab governor, the Online news agency reported.

PML-N information secretary Ahsan Iqbal said that the appointment of the governor was purely the prerogative of the Federal government.