-PTI Chairman injured after his container was hit by indiscriminate firing in Wazirabad
-Senator Faisal, Ahmed Chattha among other PTI leaders injured in incident
-Asad Umar says Imran names three suspects behind the attack
-President, PM, FM, Army, Nawaz, Zardari, Maryam others highly condemn firing incident
-Shehbaz seeks immediate report on shooting incident
-SHO suspended for disclosing alleged video statement of suspect
-Masses take to streets across country to denounce life bid on Imran Khan
-Second assailant also identified, claims private TV channel
From Abid Usman
LAHORE: Former Prime Minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan survived an assassination attempt while receiving bullets in the leg during Long March as his convoy reached Wazirabad’s Allah Wala Chowk on Thursday.
According to initial details, seven people, including Imran Khan and other party leaders, were injured and a party worker was killed in a gun attack on the PTI chief’s container.
The Punjab police said the deceased has been identified as Muazzam Nawaz.
“It was a clear assassination attempt. Khan was hit but he’s stable. There was a lot of bleeding,” Fawad Chaudhry told media. “If the shooter had not been stopped by people there, the entire PTI leadership would have been wiped out.”
The Punjab police confirmed that a party worker, who was in the city to welcome the caravan — which was there for the party’s second iteration of its “Azadi” march — was killed in the attack. Meanwhile, a suspect was also taken into custody from the site.
The injured include PTI leaders Ahmed Chattha and Chaudhry Yousuf, and party workers Omer Meyer and Rashid. The sole suspect caught by police has said that he wanted to kill PTI Chairman Imran Khan because “he was misleading the public.”
“He (Imran) was misleading the people and I could not bear watching it so I killed him attempted to kill him,” the suspect said in a video statement”. “I tried my best to kill him. I wanted to kill Imran Khan only and no one else.”
He said he was planning the assassination attempt ever since Imran left Lahore. When asked if he had any accomplices, he replied in the negative. “There is no one else with me. I am alone.”
Shortly after the accident, PTI leader Asad Umar, in a video message, said that party chairman Imran Khan has named three suspects — Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, and a senior military officer — are behind the assassination attempt on him.
“Shortly before this video, Imran Khan called us and told us to convey this message to the nation on his behalf. He said that he had received some information earlier as well.
“He said that he believes three people were involved in the attack,” Umar said.
Reacting on the accident, President Dr. Arif Alvi wrote on his twitter handle “heinous assassination attempt on the brave @ImranKhanPTI I thank Allah that he is safe but injured with few bullets in his leg & hopefully non-critical. This attack is shocking, alarming, disgraceful, deceitful & cowardly. May Allah give him health & to all those injured”.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has condemned the firing on PTI Chairman Imran Khan “in the strongest words”.
“I have directed [the] interior minister for an immediate report on the incident.
I pray for the recovery and health of [the] PTI chairman and other injured people.” He said the federal government would extend all support necessary to the Punjab government for security and investigation. “Violence should have no place in our country’s politics.” Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a statement decried firing incident during Long March near Gujranwala as highly condemnable.
“Sincere prayers for precious life lost and speedy recovery and well being of Chairman PTI Mr. Imran Khan and all those injured in this unfortunate incident”, the military’s media affairs wing stated.
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto condemned the “attack” and prayed for Imran’s “swift recovery”.
PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif has condemned the firing incident on PTI chief Imran Khan and his companions. He also prayed for the recovery of those injured.
Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi reached the Shaukat Khanum Hospital in Lahore on Thursday evening to meet PTI chairman Imran Khan.
According to a statement issued by the CM’s spokesperson, during the meeting with Elahi, Imran said that he was doing better.
Separately, the chief minister said the attack would be thoroughly investigated and prayed for the speedy recovery of Imran and others injured.
Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi also terminated all of the concerned staff, including the SHO of the Wazirabad police station for disclosing the video statement of the alleged accused in a gunfire incident.
CM Elahi presided over a meeting to discuss the gunfire incident and instructed the Inspector General of Punjab Police (IGP) to impose severe disciplinary measures on careless personnel and to conduct an investigation into the event involving the accused video leak.
Additionally, all of the Wazirabad police station staff’s mobile phones were seized. The Punjab CM advised the IG to conduct the forensic of the cell phones of police officers.
PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz has condemned the firing on PTI chairman Imran Khan. She also prayed for the speedy recovery of the former premier and others injured.
PML-N’s Marriyum Aurangzeb announced that Sharif has postponed his scheduled press conference that was to be done about his recent China visit.
PML-N’s Ahsan Iqbal said, “Thank God that Imran Khan is safe. There is no place for violence in politics”.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday condemned the attack on PTI chairman Imran Khan, saying that it had no place in politics, democracy or society.
“I’m wishing a speedy recovery to Imran and all who were injured today,” he tweeted.
Protests erupted across Pakistan on Thursday after PTI chairman Imran Khan was injured in gunfire during the long march in Wazirabad.
In Quetta, demonstrators blocked traffic at the Airport Road leading to a massive traffic jam in surrounding areas.
In Karachi, protests were reported on Sharae Faisal, North Nazimabad, Landhi, Quaidabad, North Karachi, Hub River road, and Mauripur. People in Mardan also took to the streets.
In his message after being injured in attack, Imran Khan said that the long march will reach Islamabad at all cost. “I said that I will not bow down,” Imran Khan sand adding that he will continue to fight.
