A Pakistan Muslim League-N candidate for Pakistan's general election was shot dead and nine other party workers were injured in an attack by unidentified gunmen in Lahore [Images] on Monday.

Chaudhry Asif Ashraf, a candidate of the PML-N contesting elections to the Punjab provincial assembly, died after being rushed to hospital.

His death sparked tension in parts of Lahore, but senior PML-N leaders like Shahbaz Sharif appealed to party workers to remain calm.

PML-N spokesman Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan was headed for a "controversial election", but the party had decided to contest the polls so that the field was not left open for forces aligned with President Pervez Musharraf [Images].

The attack on Ashraf came hours after another person was killed and four others were injured in an incident of firing by unknown gunmen at a polling office of the PML-N at Gawalmandi in Lahore.

Police said that incident was the result of old enmity.