Sheikh Rasheed was attacked by unknown gunmen on Monday 8th February 2010, at his party’s Rawalpindi election office.

He is contesting the bye-polls at NA-55 scheduled to be held later this month.Two of his bodyguards were killed in the attack while Sheikh Rasheed was injured.

Mr.Javed Qureshi said, “unidentified gunmen opened fire with Kalashnikovs. It was an assassination attempt. Ahmed was hurt but not by a bullet. Ahmed had apparently injured a foot when he fell over during the attack. As well as the two guards killed, two were wounded.”

Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed was the former Information Minister and Railway Minister.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani have condemned the incident of firing on former minister and President Awami Muslim League Sheikh Rashid Ahmed. They ordered inquiry into the incident and sought a report from the law enforcement agencies.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has ordered his provincial government to hold an immediate inquiry into the attack while members of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) walked out of the National Assembly in condemnation of the attack as Sheikh Rasheed was formerly a member of PML-Q before forming his own political party.

This attack will further raise political tensions in the state which are already up due to the by-elections to be held later this month.