Pakistani ex-minister escapes assassination attempt

Tue, 09 Feb 2010

A senior Pakistani politician and former aide to ex-military ruler Pervez Musharraf has narrowly escaped an assassination attempt.

The attack however killed four people, including two guards, and wounded eight others in the city of Rawalpindi.

Awami Muslim League Chief and former Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed miraculously escaped during the attack by unidentified gunmen at Aiwan Chowk in Khayaban-e-Sir Syed on Monday evening.

According to sources, armed gunmen opened fire just ahead of a public meeting, which was to be addressed by Ahmed.

Ahmed suffered a minor injury in his leg, but three of his close aides were killed in the gun attack.

"Immediately after he (Ahmed) stepped out of the car, two motorcyclists rushed towards the vehicle and started firing indiscriminately. One of Rashid's guards pushed him to the ground, and the shots fired from two Kalashnikovs missed the politician and hit others around the car," an eyewitness was quoted as saying.

Heavy contingents of police were deployed and the whole area was cordoned off while a search operation was launched to hunt the assailants involved in the incident.

In an interview with a private television channel later, Ahmed said 'people sensing defeat' had tried to eliminate him before the by-polls.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani and President Asif Ali Zardari have also condemned the attack on the former minister and directed the concerned authorities to apprehend the perpetrators.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=118239§ionid=351020401.