A vehicle exploded after hitting current finance minister Aziz's car, police officer Ishtiaq Ahmed told AFP, adding: "It appears to be a suicide car bomb attack." The blast killed Aziz's driver and the attacker, he said.

An interior ministry spokesman told AFP "seven people had died in the attack while 30 people including seven policemen were injured."

The attack occurred in Jaffar, near Fatehjang, some 45 kilometres (27 miles) from the capital where Aziz was addressing an election rally, a senior security official told AFP earlier.

"It was a murder (attempt) on the minister. We are still investigating circumstances under which the attack occurred," he said.

After the attack Aziz appeared on national television, saying his "determination to serve Pakistan and the Islamic world has enhanced."

"This is a very tragic incident and I am deeply grieved that some people have lost their lives while some got injured," Aziz said.

"I sincerely commiserate with the families of those who had been killed in the attack."

A national television report said two blasts occurred in a car at 7:15 pm (1415 GMT).

"I was with Shaukat Aziz and we had just started moving in the car when suddenly a car appeared from driver (right) side and exploded," Mayor of Attock district Tahir Sadiq told AFP at an Islamabad hospital, where he is supervising arrangements for the injured people.

"With the blessings of Allah we were not hurt at all. It is a miracle," Sadiq said.

Ruling Pakistan Muslim League party secretary-general Mushahid Hussain also claimed the suicide attack was directed at Aziz.

"A suicide bomber blew up the car to kill Shaukat Aziz, but he has survived miraculously," Hussain told AFP.

Hussain blamed religious extremists for the attack, saying: "They are trying to destabilise Pakistan".

A senior police official told AFP that Aziz was in the car which had just starting moving slowly amid a tight security cordon when the car driven by suicide attacker detonated.

"That is why there are seven policemen among the injured," Rawalpindi police chief Iftikhar Ahmad told AFP.

Aziz has been named by ruling party figures to succeed Zafarullah Jamali, who resigned last month abruptly after rumours that President Pervez Musharraf was unhappy with his 18-month performance.