Pakistan has seen series of bloody violent incidents over the past several days.

On Friday, Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz, the would-be prime minister as well, narrowly escaped from an alleged suicide bombing attack, during which at least nine people including the attacker were killed and scores of others injured.

Aziz was under attack shortly after he addressed a rally for his election into the National Assembly (NA). An attacker reportedly detonated a bomb set up on the minister's ride minutes before the official stepped up.

An al-Qaida-linked terror group, calling itself Islambouli Brigades of al-Qaida, claimed the responsibility for the assassination attempt Saturday on a website from Egypt.

The group also warned that it will launch more bloody attacks against "pro-US officials" in future.

The identity of the dead attacker has not been established and a number of suspects have been taken into custody.

Shaukat, a western-style technocrat, has been nominated by the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-QA (PML-QA) as the prime minister in-waiting.

A senator, Shaukat, under the country's constitution, has to gain a NA seat to secure the qualification for the PM post.

Having spent many years working for western banks, Shaukat's rise triggered suspicions from the opposition parties, especially from those frenzied religious powers.

Who was behind the scene remains unclear, amid the tightening security all over the nation.

On Saturday bloody episodes continued on show. In the country'srestive western Balochistan province, tribesmen blocked on high way and railway, protesting for a tribal chief's arrest by the local authorities.

The demonstration turned out to be a wild shoot-out afterwards when enraged protestors opened fire on the security forces, who were trying to "restore the law and order."

Four were killed on the spot, three tribesmen and one security personnel and seven others injured.

In the evening, the road and railway were reopened in the wake of a tough talk between tribal elders and the local administration.

Bordering Afghanistan, western parts of Balochistan have long been branded as one of Taliban's hideouts, leading to many conflicts between the pro-terror tribes and the local administration.

The same day, three blasts rocked the coastal town of Gwadar inthe same Balochistan , fortunately causing no casualty or damage, yet recalling memories on a gruesome bomb attack taking place in the town this May, in which three Chinese engineers were killed and 11 others injured.

Sunday in the same province, five soldiers among six people were killed and two others were injured when unidentified motorcyclists opened fire on a civilian vehicle some 300 kms southeast of Quetta, the provincial capital.

No one has claimed responsibility for the incident.

Even in the country where people are familiar with violence, security concern has been escalating.

Many blame the government's pro-US policy for causing the instability. Since Pakistan joined the anti-terror camp in the wake of 9/11, anti-government resentment has been getting strongerand stronger in the nation with 96 percent of its population Muslims.

And recent swirling rumors that the country is likely to send troops to Iraq are producing more violence, strategists here believe.

"A violent incident is not going to be a good news here, no violent incident will be one," a senior local journalist bitterly joked while talking to Xinhua.

And many wish it would have been merely a joke.

Source: Xinhua