Assassin targets Pakistani PM

Updated 22.38 Wed Sep 03 2008
Keywords: Pakistan, shooting, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, assassin

Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has been targeted by an assassin who fired shots at his motorcade.

His spokesman Zahid Bashir said: "Multiple shots were fired ... the prime minister is safe."

"Multiple shots were fired ... the prime minister is safe" - spokesman Zahid Bashir

The attack happened on the main road to the airport in the capital, Islamabad, he said.

Earlier, Mr Gilani had arrived back at the airport from a trip to the eastern city of Lahore.

He is a senior member of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto's party. She was killed in a suicide gun and bomb attack on December 27 last year while campaigning for a general election.

The government said al-Qaeda-linked militants killed her.

Mrs Bhutto's party went on to win the February 18 election and Mr Gilani became prime minister of a coalition government.

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