Pakistan's PM designate survives assassination attempt

At least four people were killed when a suicide bomber attacked the motorcade of Pakistan's prime minister designate on Friday.

Shaukat Aziz, who survived the assassination attempt, was travelling through Fateh Jang, a town 50 kilometres southwest of Islamabad when his motorcade was attacked in what police said was a suicide bombing.

Aziz's driver and the attacker were among those killed in the explosion. About 24 people were wounded. Aziz was unharmed.

Aziz, currently the finance minister, is to take over as prime minister from Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain. He needs to win a parliamentary seat before he can take over the post.

The attack came after Aziz attended an election rally.

Opposition politicians have complained that the process for choosing the new prime minister was manipulated by President Gen. Pervez Musharraf. It underlines the lack of democracy in the country, they say.

Musharraf took power in a coup five years ago.

Aziz, an international banker, is currently the finance minister and is credited with salvaging Pakistan's economy, which was crippled by international sanctions imposed in 1998 after the country tested nuclear missiles.