Members of his team reported that the former prime minister is stable. The leader of the Pakistan Tahreek-e Insaf party was leading a protest march calling for early elections. According to experts, political instability is likely to increase further.
Islamabad ( / Agencies) – Former Prime Minister Imran Khan was injured in the leg after being shot by a firearm. The incident occurred in Wazirabad, in the Punjab region. Other people were also injured. Members of his staff reported that Khan was taken to a Lahore hospital. At the moment his life is not in danger and he is stable. According to some videos circulating on the Internet, the attacker has already been captured by the security forces.
The former cricket star and now leader of the Pakistan Tahreek-e Insaf (PTI) was leading a protest march from Lahore to Islamabad to demand early elections. It is worth remembering that in April, Parliament dismissed Imran Khan in a motion of no confidence and formed a new government led by Shehbaz Sharif. The current prime minister postponed a press conference on his recent trip to China and condemned the armed attack. Sharif ordered the interior minister to immediately launch an investigation into the case.
For several months, Imran Khan has been mobilizing his supporters to demand early elections, although the government has already responded that the elections will be held, as planned, in the autumn of next year. The former prime minister had already tried to lead a march in the capital in May, but was unsuccessful.
Fawad Chaudry, a well-known PTI member and information minister under Imran Khan, said the attack on the former prime minister “is an attack on Pakistan.”
According to experts, today’s attack could increase political instability and, consequently, the country’s economic crisis. During the government of Imran Khan, who in order to implement populist reforms had contravened the recommendations of the International Monetary Fund, the value of the rupee eroded. After the floods of recent months, Pakistan is in even greater need of international aid to revive its economy.
