Pakistan’s ex-prime minister Imran Khan was in stable condition after being shot in the foot on Thursday on the sidelines of a political rally in what the country’s president called a ‘heinous assassination attempt’ .
Overthrown in April by a motion of censure, Mr. Khan has since Friday led a “long march” on the capital Islamabad, to obtain the holding of early elections.
The former cricket champion was injured when gunfire broke out in the crowd near the eastern town of Gujranwala, one of his close advisers, Raoof Hasan, told AFP.
“Imran Khan suffered a foot injury. He is in stable condition,” he said, claiming it was an “attempt to kill him, to assassinate him.”
One assailant was shot dead and another apprehended by police, Hasan said.
In a tweet, Pakistani President Arif Alvi denounced a “heinous assassination attempt”. “I thank Allah that he is safe, but wounded by several bullets in the leg and hope it is not critical”.
Pakistan has struggled for decades with violent Islamist movements that challenge the influence of central power, and political assassinations have marred the country’s history.
die for his country
In 2007 Benazir Bhutto, the first woman of the modern era to have led a Muslim country, was assassinated in an attack whose sponsors have never been identified.
Every day since the beginning of this march, Mr. Khan, 70, has climbed on a container placed on a truck to address thousands of his supporters from the cities crossed.
Despite his ouster, Mr. Khan retains broad support among the population. Since April, he has held large rallies across the country — drawing tens of thousands of supporters — to pressure the fragile ruling coalition.
He keeps rehashing his thesis that his fall was the result of a “conspiracy” hatched by the United States, and relentlessly criticizes the government of his successor, Shehbaz Sharif.
Imran Khan came to power in 2018, after the victory in the legislative elections of the PTI, on a populist platform combining promises of social reforms, religious conservatism and the fight against corruption.
But under his tenure, the economic situation deteriorated and he lost the support of the army, which was accused of having helped get him elected.
In recent months, he had repeatedly declared himself ready to die for his country, and his entourage had often reported threats against him.