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Imran Khan Injured In Firing, His Party Calls It "Assassination Attempt"

Chaotic scenes broke out near Imran Khan's reception camp at Allahwala Chowk in Gujranwala after gunshots were fired, reported local channel Geo News

Imran Khan being shifted to a car after firing during his "long march" against Shehbaz Sharif government.

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan was injured in firing during a rally at Wazirabad in Pakistan's Punjab province and was rushed to a hospital after what his party called an "assassination attempt" during his march against the army establishment-backed central government. His right leg bandaged, he was seen waving as he was shifted into an SUV, indicating that the injury wasn't serious.

One of his party workers was feared dead while Imran Khan, 70, was being taken to Lahore, 100 km away.

It brought back chilling memories of how another former PM, Benazir Bhutto, was shot dead during a rally in 2007.

The attacker, who was overpowered and arrested, fired at the former cricketer from below when he was standing atop a container-truck to address his ongoing "long march" from Lahore to Islamabad against the Shehbaz Sharif government.

At least four of his party leaders were among those injured, one of whom, parliamentarian Faisal Javed Khan, later said a supporter was "martyred".

The incident in Gujranwala district, about 200 km from Islamabad, comes just seven months after he was unseated upon losing the defence establishment's confidence. He has since been campaigning against the army and intelligence agency ISI's "interference" that "undermined democracy".

PM Shehbaz Sharif condemned the firing and directed Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah to seek an immediate report from the police and administration.

Barely an hour before the firing, Imran Khan had told supporters in another part of the town, where he was scheduled to deliver a speech, that they should accompany him to a different area instead, promising to speak there, Geo reported. His party tweeted a video showing him boarding the container-truck from his black SUV.

The firing took place minutes later as he got to the container's roof for his speech. The gunman fired from a pistol from the left side of where Imran Khan was standing; he could not get close enough for a clear shot in a tight crowd, reports said.

Having been unseated reportedly after losing the army establishment's confidence in April, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) leader has been demanding resignation of the new central government formed by his two main opponents that are otherwise rivals of each other, the Sharifs' Muslim League (PML-N) and the Bhuttos' Pakistan People's Party (PPP).

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