While leading a protest march in the eastern city of Wazirabad, Pakistan’s ousted prime minister Imran Khan’s motorcade was shot at with guns.
A gunshot that struck his car caused him to get a leg injury. At least five additional people were hurt, in addition to one fatality.
Regarding the attack’s motivation, which allies claim was an attempt at assassination, there was no immediate government statement.
Forcing early elections was the purpose of the protest march.
The march was being led by Mr. Khan, 70, and it was intended to end in Islamabad, the country’s capital.
A hospital in Lahore was where the politician who used to play for the national cricket team was seen being brought. His shin had been struck, according to a party spokeswoman.
Although his status was stable, his caregivers predicted that he would need surgery.
The man who police claim attempted to kill the former prime minister has confessed in a video that has been released.
When asked by authorities why he opened fire, the man responds, “He was leading the people astray. I wanted to kill him. The interview appears to have been conducted in an unclear manner. I tried to murder him.”
During an interview with a news reporter, a senior aide and spokesperson for Mr. Khan claimed that the Pakistani government was “directly involved” in the attack.
The government was “trying to physically eliminate [Imran Khan],” according to Raoof Hasan, who criticised the government’s distribution of the video confession as a “crude cover-up”.
Shehbaz Sharif, the current prime minister, denounced the shooting and commanded a quick investigation. The incident, according to President Arif Alvi, was a “heinous assassination attempt.”
During the rally, Zoraiz Bangash, a local journalist who witnessed the attack, said: “When [Mr] Khan was leading the rally, there were suddenly gunshots heard, and the moment we all realized there was a person with a pistol, a 9mm pistol, and he fired some shots, which unfortunately struck some of the PTI leaders and [Mr] Khan..”
“And a PTI supporter who was standing near to him managed to capture the suspect. The suspect was transported away after being taken into custody.
For the past seven days, Mr. Khan has led a protest march, the second such gathering this year, pushing for new elections.
Elections will take place as scheduled next year, the government has frequently stated.
Khan was barred from running for public office by Pakistan’s election board last month in a case that the former All-Star cricketer said was politically motivated.
He had been charged with misdeclaring information about gifts from foreign dignitaries and the proceeds of their suspected sale. Rolex watches, a ring, and a set of cufflinks were among the gifts.
There is a long history of political violence in Pakistan that has resulted in death.
In the most well-known incident, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was killed in 2007 at a gathering of the general population.
