Islamabad, February 08, 2010, SPA -- A close aide to the former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf escaped an assassination attempt when gunmen shot athim, killing his three guards, dpa quoted the officials as saying late today. Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad, who served as information minister underMusharraf, injured himself as he made his escape, but details werenot immediately clear. The attack took place when Ahmad was visiting his constituencyduring an election campaign for a vacant seat for the country'snational assembly in the garrison city of Rawalpindi. Aslam Tareen, the police chief in Rawalpindi, said three peoplewere killed and three more were injured in the incident. Ahmad has long been on the hit list of Islamist militants like hisformer boss Musharraf, who has survived at least three bids on hislife since he joined international alliance against terrorism in2001. He resigned from office in August 2008. Musharraf remains in exile in London, apparently under threat tohis life in Pakistan. The former minister, Ahmad, lost in 2008 general elections thatsaw an overwhelming defeat for Musharraf's political allies. Ahmad has since disassociated himself from Musharraf and formedhis own political party, Awami League.--SPA 19:25 LOCAL TIME 16:25 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/746359