IRIA News

Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan was wounded in an assassination attempt as he was leading the protest march towards Islamabad to demand early elections.

One of his supporters, identified as Muazzam Nawaz, was killed and 14 others have been injured in the attack in Wazirabad city, 200km (120 miles) from the capital Islamabad. The attack came less than a week after Khan began his march from Lahore with thousands of supporters.

At least one bullet hit Khan, who was standing on a moving container after a gunman opened fire. “There are pellets lodged in his leg, his bone has been chipped, he has also been shot in his thigh,” said Asad Umar, a senior leader of Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Khan was immediately sent back to Lahore to receive medical treatment at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital, built by Imran Khan in memory of his mother in 1994.

He was reported to be in stable condition. Speaking to reporters, the head of the hospital. Dr. Faisal Sultan said there were bullet fragments in Khan’s leg and his tibia bone was chipped. “This is only the initial assessment, and we are taking him to the operation theatre for detailed evaluation,” he said. A four-member medical board has been formed to monitor and evaluate Khan’s health, he added.

Among the wounded was Faisal Javed, a lawmaker from his party, who was seen in bloodstained clothes. “Please pray for us, for Imran Khan, pray for our fellow workers who are severely injured and pray for our party member who has been martyred,” he said.

Video from the scene showed Khan and his supporters on a shipping container before a burst of gunfire is heard. Khan and others are then seen ducking, as those around him try to cover him.

“This is not only an assassination attempt on Imran Khan but an attack on Pakistan itself,” his aide Fawad Chaudhry said on Twitter.

Suspect arrested

According to the local police, one male suspect was arrested from the scene with a 9mm pistol and two empty magazines. Police released a video confession of the suspect who said that he had attempted to kill the former prime minister because “He was misguiding the people. I wanted to kill him. I tried to kill him.”

Federal information minister Murriyam Aurangzeb said that the interrogation of the suspect was underway.

Witnesses reported having heard gunfire before the man who was later arrested opened fire. “I heard a burst of bullet shots after which I saw Imran Khan and his aides go down on the container,” local witness Qazzafi Butt told Reuters.

Videos shared on social media showed the attacker raising a gun before being stopped by a young man identified as Ibtisam. He said that the attacker had loaded the magazine and was preparing to fire when “I approached him when he had shot one bullet in the air. Then I pulled at him, which caused his aim to go awry. He then tried to run away, but we managed to stop him.” The man, who tackled the gunman, was hailed as a hero on social media for the bravery he displayed.

This was not the first assassination attempt on a senior Pakistani leader. The country’s former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was shot dead on December 27, 2007.

Protests erupt

Khan was on the seventh day of a nationwide rally tour calling for elections when he was attacked. Protests broke out across Pakistan in support of Khan, including in the capital Islamabad, Peshawar, Lahore, and Karachi, where thousands of protesters gathered, blocking roads for around two hours while holding party flags and chanting slogans against the government. Khan alleges that the country’s prime minister, interior minister, and another senior official were behind the attack.

Khan, who was ousted in a vote of no-confidence in April, claims that his government was overthrown as part of a foreign conspiracy. Since then, he has held massive across Pakistan, calling for early elections. The current government has dismissed demands saying the polls would be held next year as per schedule. Khan has also been at loggerheads with the country’s military.

Reaction on assassination attempt

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued a statement condemning the incident and asked authorities to immediately launch an investigation. “We pray for the speedy recovery of Imran and other injured. The Federation will provide all possible support to the Punjab government in the security/investigation of the incident,” he said.

Pakistani armed forces also issued a statement, saying the “firing incident” at the protest march “was highly condemnable”.

Pakistan’s President Dr. Arif Alvi condemned the assassination attempt and sent prayers for his speedy recovery and for all those injured.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was among the first world leaders to condemn the attack. He said the attack on Khan and his supporters was “completely unacceptable” and sent wishes for a speedy recovery to Imran Khan and all who were injured today.

British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly wrote on Twitter that the attack on Imran Khan was “shocking” and expressed sorrow over the attack that left one dead. “There is no space for violence in politics,” he said.

United States Secretary Antony Blinken strongly condemned “the shooting of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and others at a political rally” and wished them all a quick and thorough recovery, and offered condolences to the family of the individual who was killed.

“Violence has no place in politics, and we call on all parties to refrain from violence, harassment, and intimidation. The United States is deeply committed to a democratic and peaceful Pakistan, and we stand with the Pakistani people,” the statement said.

Saudi Arabia also denounced the assassination attempt on the former prime minister. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s strong condemnation and denunciation of the attempted assassination of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan”, the country’s foreign ministry said on Thursday.

Hours before he was shot, Khan spoke to the media and said he was hopeful there would not be violence at the protest.