Pakistan's PM escapes assassination attempt unscathed

Islamabad: Shots were fired at Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani's motorcade on Wednesday but he was unharmed, his spokesman said.

"Multiple shots were fired ... the prime minister is safe," said the spokesman, Zahid Bashir, adding at least two bullets had hit Gilani's armoured vehicle.

However he was contradicted by both Interior Ministry Secretary Kamal Shah and the police, who both said that Gilani was not in the car when the attack happened.

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

Gilani 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 while campaigning for the country's general election.