Imran Khan wounded in ‘assassination attempt’ in Pakistan

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A gunman opened fire at a container lorry carrying Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan, wounding him in the leg and also some of his supporters, a senior leader from his party and police have said.

A party aide said Khan had been wounded in the shin and was not seriously hurt. “A man opened fire with an automatic weapon. Several people are wounded. Imran Khan is also injured,” Asad Umar told Reuters.

The identity of the gunman, who was arrested at the scene, was not immediately known. No group has claimed responsibility for the shooting.

Khan’s supporters described the incident as an assassination attempt. He has been taken to hospital.

The attack happened in the Wazirabad district in the eastern Punjab province. Khan was travelling in a large convoy of lorry and cars heading towards the capital, Islamabad, as part of his campaign aimed at forcing the government to hold early elections.

Khan with later seen with a bandage on his foot. He was moved to another vehicle from his container truck, from where announcements were being made that he was safe. Some of the supporters from his Tehreek-e-Insaf party were also wounded, according to the announcement.

“He is being taken to a hospital in Lahore, but he is not seriously wounded. A bullet hit him in the leg,” Umar told reporters.

The attack happened less than a week after Khan began his march from Lahore, the capital of Punjab province, along with thousands of supporters. Since his ousting in a no-confidence vote in parliament in April, Khan has alleged that he was the victim of a conspiracy engineered by his successor, Shehbaz Sharif, and the United States – claims that both the new premier and Washington have denied.

Khan’s latest challenge to the government comes after Pakistan’s elections commission disqualified him from holding public office for five years for allegedly selling state gifts unlawfully and concealing assets as premier. Khan has challenged the disqualification in a pending court case.

Sharif’s government has also said that there would be no early vote and that the next elections will be held according to schedule, in 2023.