Pakistan PM Gilani escapes bid on life

Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani escaped from an assassination bid on Wednesday, September 3, when shots were fired at his bullet-proof vehicle by unidentified men in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, near the capital Islamabad.

As per Pakistan’s state run television network, shots were fired at the motorcade, but Gilani was not in the motorcade during the attack.

'The prime minister is fine; he is back in Islamabad at the PM house,' Information Minister Sherry Rehman told DawnNews TV.

Just three days before the country’s presidential election, the attack has spread security fear. The prime minister is the leader of the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

Though no terrorist outfit has taken responsibility of the attack yet, the suspicion is on the Taliban based militants, Al Qaeda allies, who were engaged in a series of blasts in Pakistan killing many.

As per reports, over thousand people have been killed in several militant attacks in the past one year and Islamic militancy is on its rise. The attack also adds more uncertainty amid political commotion especially after the withdrawal of Nawaz Sharif led Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) from the coalition government over the reinstatement of judges.

Meanwhile, Bhutto's widower, Asif Ali Zardari is on the forefront of the Saturday’s presidential election where PML-N has also staged its own candidate.