Pakistan’s PM-Designate: Survives Attempt on Life: 8 Killed
By Atta ul Mohsin Syed - Pakistan Times Staff Correspondent

FATEH JANG: Pakistan’s Prime Minister-designate, Shaukat Aziz survived an attempt on his life at a town, close to the capital Islamabad Friday.

Though exact digit of the causalities in the assault was being assessed till late in the night, preliminary reports had indicated the death of only one person, which eventually swelled to almost eight killed in the episode.

Hospital sources told ‘Pakistan Times’ by phone at midnight Friday that six people lost their lives with 40 others injured, who also include two police officials.

Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Faisal Saleh Hayat, however places the death toll at four killed with several injured.

Perspective

The incident is deemed to be a suicide attack on the life of Shaukat Aziz, who holds the portfolio of Minister of Finance in the Shujaat-led federal cabinet.

The assault on Shaukat Aziz took place in Fateh Jang, a town almost 45 Kilometers, off Islamabad the capital city of Pakistan at 19:15 Pakistan Standard Time [14:15 GMT] in the afternoon of Friday.

Explosions

As the Secretary General of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League [PML] Senator Mushahid Hussain says Aziz was returning from a public meeting in Fateh Jang when two explosions occurred.

Shaukat Aziz, however, narrowly escaped the blast and remained unhurt. Yet, Punjab's Cooperative Minister, Colonel Anwar was hurt in the attack.

Venerated Monetary Expert

A venerated economic expert with a magnificent sketch of career at top slots on global-level, explicitly at the World Bank, Shaukat Aziz is a nominee as the future Prime Minister of Pakistan.

He is credited with pulling impoverished Pakistan's economy back from the brink of bankruptcy following sanctions imposed over the 1998 nuclear tests.

Aziz is now-a-days engaged in his election campaign to win a seat in the National Assembly of Pakistan. To be the member of the lower House of Parliament as an MNA is a prerequisite for elevation to the apex position of Premiership as a Senator is not entitled to seek this highest executive position under the Constitution of Pakistan.

Reporting the incident, Pakistan's State-run news agency said Friday night that Shaukat survived ‘an apparent attempt on his life when a bomb exploded outside the venue of a public meeting in Fateh Jang.’

The Attacker

Initial reports said that the Finance Minister along with District Nazim Attock Major (Retd) Tahir was coming out of the public meeting near Jaffar Mor, when a suicide bomber exploded a bomb which also killed the attacker.

The fate of the Minister's driver who was earlier reported killed was blurred till the filing of this story, as the official news agency which had circulated this item beaming the death of the driver, subsequently replaced the item incorporating a correction in its' earlier report and saying that that the driver of the Minister is safe. Credible sources, however say that the driver died on the spot.

Shaukat Aziz and Major Tahir and other leaders escaped unhurt in the attack.

Confirming the news of the attack, a PML spokesman told 'Pakistan Times' that he had spoken to Shuakat Aziz who is calm, cool and composed after the attack.

A vehicle exploded after hitting current Finance Minister's car, a foreign news agency reports quoting a police officer with the name of Ishtiaq Ahmed. "It appears to be a suicide car bomb attack." The blast killed Aziz's driver and the attacker, he said.

"It was a murder (attempt) on the Minister. We are still investigating circumstances under which the attack occurred," officials in Islamabad said.

Appears on TV

After the attack Aziz appeared on national television, saying his "determination to serve Pakistan and the Islamic world has enhanced."

"This is a very tragic incident and I am deeply grieved that some people have lost their lives while some got injured," Aziz said.
"I sincerely commiserate with the families of those who had been killed in the attack."

Eyewitness

"I was with Shaukat Aziz and we had just started moving in the car when suddenly a car appeared from driver (right) side and exploded," Nazin [Mayor] of Attock district Tahir Sadiq said at an Islamabad hospital, where he is supervising arrangements for the injured people.

"With the blessings of Allah Almighty we were not hurt at all. It is a miracle," Sadiq said.

A PML spokesman blamed religious extremists for the attack, saying: "They are trying to destabilize Pakistan".

Police Account

A senior police official said that Aziz was in the car which had just started moving slowly amid a tight security cordon when the car driven by suicide attacker detonated.

"That is why there are seven policemen among the injured," Rawalpindi police Chief Iftikhar Ahmad said.

Jamali’s Successor

Aziz has been named by ruling party figures to succeed Zafarullah Jamali, who resigned last month after holding the office for about 18 months.

Two members of the ruling party MPs resigned from their seats to let Aziz run in their seats. The by-elections will be held on August-18.

President, PM Condemn Attack

President General Pervez Musahrraf and Prime Minister, Ch. Shujaat Hussain Friday strongly condemned the terrorist attack on Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz in Fatehjang and reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to continue its fight against terrorism.

Expressing his outrage over the attack on the Minister, President Musharraf said "these cowardly acts will not deter us from our fight against terror."

Such dastardly acts were against the tenets and teachings of Islam, the President added. He also expressed his deep sorrow and grief over the loss of life and injuries to people.

al-Qaeda's Involvement

Interior Minister Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat did not rule out the possibility of al-Qaeda's involvement in the assassination bid on the life of Finance
Minister Shaukat Aziz.

"Given the present circumstances, nothing could be ruled out," he said when asked if there were chances of al-Qaeda being behind the attack.

Investigations to Cage Culprits

However, the Minister said investigation has been launched to trace out the culprits.

Talking to reporters at the residence of Shaukat Aziz, the Minister confirmed four dead and at least 25 wounded in the suicide attack.

He said the driver of the Minister and the suspected suicide attacker was also among the killed.

New Phenomenon

To a question, he said that suicide attack was a new phenomenon and it was difficult to control such attacks anywhere in the world. He said the security of the Finance Minister has been further beefed up.

Prime Minister-designate Shaukat Aziz had asked to reduce security provided to him by the government after allegations that he was using state machinery for his election campaign.

But now-on, security arrangements at the venues of public rallies by him [Aziz] would be reviewed and probably further strengthened.

The Injured

Twenty wounded persons of Fateh Jang incident were admitted to Islamabad's PIMS and Federal Government Services Hospital.

Assistant Commissioner City Circle, Zafar Iqbal says that the injured at PIMS were identified as:

Abdul Ghafoor Afridi, ASP Investigation Attock, his gun man Khan Afsar, Ameer Khan, Asif Iqbal, Muhammad Riaz, Habib Khan, Muhammad Sajjad, Mehboob, Muhammad Waheed, Mazhar, Muhammad Ali, Arif Khan, Bashir, Ghulam Khan.

The identification of other injured at Federal Government Services Hospital is:

Constable Islamabad Security Division Muhammad Ishaq, and five other Policemen, Younis, Mazhar Hussain, Gulzar Hussian, Murtaza and Liaqat Ali.

All the injured persons are in stable condition; the AC said and added that no body was taken to the capital hospitals.●