Gunmen seize son of former Pakistan PM

Gunmen today abducted the son of former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in an attack on an election rally in Pakistan’s southern Punjab province.

Ali Haider Gilani was seized in the town of Multan and one of his guards was killed. Five others were wounded. Today is the last day of campaigning for Saturday’s election. The race has been marred by a string of attacks and yesterday three people were killed and 25 injured a suicide bombing outside a police station in the Bannu region.

Today, the Taliban warned they will carry out suicide bombings during voting in a bid to undermine the poll. “We don’t accept the system of infidels which is called democracy,” a letter warned. Meanwhile Nawaz Sharif, tipped to be Pakistan’s next prime minister, has vowed to end his country’s support on the US-led “war on terror” in an attempt to secure peace.