Former Pakistani Prime Minister Gilani’s Son Kidnapped at Election Rally

MULTAN, Pakistan, May 9 (UPI Next) --The youngest son of former Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani was kidnapped during an election meeting in the central Pakistani city of Multan Thursday, police said.

A senior police officer, Ghulam Mehmmod Dogar, told reporters that Syed Ali Haider Gilani, who is running for a seat in the Punjab provincial assemblyfrom the Pakistan Peoples’ Party, “was campaigning and rallying in his constituency when two unknown assailants on a motorbike came and started firing on the rally.”

“Later, they picked up Haider” and took him away in a black Honda, Dogar said.

 The incident happened on the last day of the campaign.

Police said Ghulam Mohaiud Din, personal secretary to the younger Gilani, was killed and four others were wounded by gunfire.

“We have cordoned off the city entrances to trace the kidnappers,” Dogar said.

Former Prime Minister Gilani and his party are already under threat by Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, and the party has limited its campaigning because of the threats, with most of its leaders not campaigning openly. 

The former prime minister is disqualified from running in the election after being found in contempt of court for refusing to ask Swiss authorities to reopen corruption cases against President Asif Zardari, claiming that as head of state he is immune.  He has fielded the candidacies of his three sons and one younger brother in Multan constituencies.