( CNN ) -- A son of a former Pakistani prime minister was kidnapped Thursday in a deadly raid two days before the son was to stand for provincial assembly elections , one of his brothers told CNN . The kidnapping of Ali Haider Gilani is the latest in a string of attacks that have plagued the run-up to Pakistan 's national elections scheduled for Saturday . Two gunmen in a vehicle killed two people and injured eight others as they kidnapped Gilani in Punjab province , his brother Ali Qasim Gilani told CNN . Ali Haider Gilani -- son of former Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani -- was on his way to address a public meeting in the city of Multan when the attack happened , police senior superintendent Khurram Shakur told local TV reporters . The younger Gilani has been running for a seat in the Punjab provincial assembly . Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso called the elder Gilani on Thursday to assure him that all necessary steps would be taken to recover the son , Khoso 's office said . Saturday 's nationwide elections are to be Pakistan 's first democratic transition of power , as the governing Pakistan People 's Party is poised to become the first civilian government to complete a full five-year term . But campaigns have been plagued by deadly violence in recent weeks , and the Pakistani Taliban has claimed responsibility for several hits on candidates ' campaigns . At least 16 people died Tuesday in two attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province ; one attack targeted a PPP rally , and the other targeted a candidate for the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal Ur Rehman group , police said . And on Monday , an explosion killed 18 people at a rally for Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal Ur Rehman , a right-wing religious party with sympathies for the militant Taliban movement . The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for that blast , saying it attacked because one of the candidates , Munir Orakzai , has handed over members of the Mujahedeen to the United States . Yousuf Raza Gilani was prime minister from 2008 to 2012 . CNN 's Tim Schwarz , Jason Hanna and Aliza Kassim contributed to this report .
Ali Haider Gilani kidnapped in deadly attack in Punjab province , brother says . Two people killed , eight others hurt during attack , brother says . Police : Gilani , candidate for Punjab provincial assembly , was on way to public meeting . Gilani is son of former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani .