PremiumImran Khan attack LIVE Updates: Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was injured in an apparent “assassination" attempt after a gunman opened fire at his rally in the Wazirabad district of Punjab province on Thursday. Imran Khan has been rushed to a hospital, his party spokesperson said. At least five people, including Imran Khan, were injured in the firing at the rally. The lone attacker was arrested immediately but his identity has not been ascertained. No group has claimed the responsibility for the “assassination" attempt at Imran Khan who has been holding the anti-government rally across Pakistan.
LiveMint is running a LIVE blog, stay with us for LIVE updates on the attack on Imran Khan.
In response to PTI Chairman Imran Khan's claims that he was one of the people allegedly involved in the plot to attack the PTI chief, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah stated that these claims were all lies.
In his first press conference following Thursday's attack, Sanaullah appeared on the Geo News program "Naya Pakistan" and criticized Imran for only "telling lies." He also stated that the PTI chief had not provided a "single proof" for his claims.
Imran Khan, head of the PTI, has demanded the resignations of the three individuals he claims were behind the attempt to assassinate him yesterday.
"Until a nation receives justice, it is not free."Resignation is required from each of the three people involved in the attack.If this is not done, the investigation will be unable to continue.He added, "You all need to come out."
Imran Khan, the leader of the PTI, has asserted that the party that has the potential to unite Pakistan is PTI.
East Pakistan would not have split off if the military had been able to unite the country.Countries are only united by political parties; the military helps.
He stated, "We didn't learn from history," in an address to the nation delivered from the Shaukat Khanum hospital.
“I was informed that they would kill me when I first set out for the march.At first, I questioned whether they would actually endanger the nation for their petty goals.
“Today, I ask the nation, are we required to change our fate and become free, or are we required to remain in this situation?For this, sacrifices are required.
After he has recovered from the attack that took his life, PTI chief Imran Khan has promised to return to the streets. He claimed that he had no concern for his own life and that he would not submit to the "slavery of these thieves."
He stated that Pakistan "wasn't made for slavery" and that "as soon as I get well, I will give the call for Islamabad and come out onto the streets."
During today's address to the nation, PTI chief Imran Khan contacted Pakistan's Chief Justice, Umar Ata Bandial, claiming that the leader of the country's largest party was "not getting justice."
"CJP, whatever was done to me in the past six months has never been done by the country, not even with an enemy, I can assure you.
"I raised Pakistan's cricket standing and earned the highest civil awards; the Shaukat Khanum hospital is internationally renowned."I established two colleges. After that, I established the nation's largest party," he stated.
The nation has finally stood up, according to PTI Chief Imran Khan, and it now faces two options:a peaceful revolution or a bloody one.
"There is no alternative.I have witnessed this nation awaken, and the genie of awareness will not return.
The former premier posed the question, "Now decide if we can bring change in a peaceful way through the ballot box and a fair and free election or through chaos."
Imran Khan, chairman of the PTI, urged General Qamar Javed Bajwa, COAS, to hold his institution's "black sheep" accountable.
He stated, "If you take action against them, the army will not lose its stature."He continued by stating that the institution's reputation was being damaged by these "black sheep."
Imran Khan, chairman of the PTI, stated that the party attempted to file a first information report (FIR) regarding the attempt to assassinate him, but claimed that everyone was “afraid because many institutions are above the law."
Imran narrated the events of the attack and stated that he would have died if "two heroes" had not been present during the long march.
He declared, "I salute martyr Muazzam [...] and Ibtisam, the way he caught the attacker [...] the attacker would have fired more bullets if it weren't for his bravery."
Imran Khan, the head of the PTI, talked about the attack on his life in Wazirabad.He claimed that he was on the container when he was hit in the leg by a "burst of bullets" and knocked to the ground.
"Then a second burst occurs, with two people present."He claimed that he would not have survived if the two bullet sprays had been fired simultaneously.
"I think he [the shooter] thought I had died and fled because I fell down,"
He mentioned the arrest of one suspect, who claimed to be an extremist.He is not a fanatic.We will discover if there was a plan behind the attempt.
Former PM of Pakistan, Imran Khan, said that three others, separate from the ones who ha had named in a tape stashed abroad, had plotted to kill him.
"How did I find out? Insiders told me. The day before Wazirabad, they made the plan to kill me as they saw the number of people increasing using the script of religious extremism."
He said Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Major General Faisal plotted to kill him.
Imran Khan, a former premier, has claimed that the "government and its handlers" had planned to kill him in the same way that Salman Taseer, a former governor of Punjab, did.
“First of all, they said I was a blasphemer; they made tapes, released them, and PMLN showed them; I knew who was doing it.
Because we live in a digital world, it is very simple to find out.Therefore, "their plan was what they did in Wazirabad [...] that a religious extremist killed Imran Khan," the PTI chief claimed. First, it was projected that I disregarded religion.
Imran claimed that he had previously explained this strategy to the general public at a rally on September 24.The attempted assassination was carried out exactly as written.
Imran Khan, chairman of the PTI, has said that four people planned to kill him.He stated that the "handlers" were making decisions behind the scenes, but attendance at his rallies was at an all-time high.
"Four individuals planned to kill me.He stated, "I made a video and named those people. I have stashed it abroad and will release it in case something happens."
He said that the relationships he had built while in power helped him learn about this plot.
Imran Khan asserted that he came to power with the support of the people and that his party was not "made by the establishment" like the PPP and PML-N.
"I was surprised by the people's support; on May 25, we announced a long march."During our time there, they organized three marches.We believed that the law and the Constitution allowed us to protest.
He stated that since we had granted them permission, we assumed they would grant us permission.But instead, they assaulted our leaders and employees.
"They shelled families in Islamabad [...] they thought the party would end but they didn't understand the nation's [sentiments] because you don't know what is happening when decisions are made in closed rooms."
Imran Khan, chairman of the PTI, reminisced about recent political developments in the country and stated that the government never loses confidence votes due to its resources.
“The cipher arrived, Donald Lu threatened the ambassador that the country would face difficulties if Imran Khan was not removed. Then, money was used to buy our lawmakers' loyalty.
He stated, "The PTI took a principled decision not to participate in this auction because if we use the government's money, it will mean stealing the people's and nation's money."
"After this, the government is removed; people thought the PTI grave had been dug, and Imran was gone forever," but Pakistan does something it has never done before
During his speech, PTI chief Imran Khan lashed out at the PML-N and PPP.According to him, the two parties engaged in extensive corruption and contributed to an increase in the country's loans.
He mentioned that the NRO provided relief to the leaders of the two parties.People who were sick of them voted for me, but the establishment decides it's time for change and brings them back."
He claimed that the establishment was accustomed to imposing decisions on individuals.This time, they were shocked to learn that people no longer supported those who had been stealing for forty years.
PTI chief Imran Khan stated in his first speech since the attempted assassination that he was aware of the plan to kill him.
"I'll discuss the attack's specifics later. The day before the attack, I learned that they planned to kill me in Wazirabad of Gujrat.
Dr. Faisal Sultan is talking about the wounds the former premier Imran got when someone tried to kill him. He explained, pointing to x-rays of Imran's right leg, that the tibia had been broken and was damaged.
The main artery can be identified on the right leg in this scan. The fragments of a bullet were very close to it."
About 10,000 people tuned in to the PTI's official YouTube live stream and less than 5,000 people tuned in to the Twitter space so far, despite the delays to Imran Khan's highly anticipated speech.
Qamar Zaman Kaira, the leader of the PPP, has asked PTI Chairman Imran Khan to back up his claims against government and military officers.
Qamar Zaman Kaira, the leader of the PPP, speaks at a press conference in Islamabad. He stated at a press conference in Islamabad, "We were very patient when Benazir Bhutto was martyred, there was a fire across the country but we decided to control things, there was chaos but we preferred to save Pakistan."
"It is troubling that the suspect in this incident has been caught and is now in your custody."
Additionally, Kaira stated that a transparent investigation and the formation of a joint investigation team should be carried out. It is surprising that the governor of the province where this attack occurred has not issued a statement.
The PPP leader continued, "It is his responsibility to keep the entire situation in front of the public."
The police has started tear gas shelling at Faizabad Interchange as PTI supporters pelted stones at the security officials.
PTI supporters have gathered outside the Punjab Governor House in Lahore to protest against the gun attack on former premier Imran Khan.
Footage aired on DawnNewsTV showed protesters burning tyres outside the Governor House. Some demonstrators tried to break into the building and broke CCTV cameras.
A scuffle between the police and protesters was reported as well.
With the assistance of the police in Rawalpindi, the Islamabad police have stated that they are identifying "miscreants" and will pursue legal action against them.
Additionally, the police urged parents to prevent their children from participating in any "illegal activities" and pointed out that protesters were accompanied by young children.
Fawad Chaudhry, the leader of the PTI, has shared what was discussed at the party's senior leadership meeting in Lahore.The meeting was led by PTI Chairman Imran Khan.
In a series of tweets, Fawad stated, "According to the initial reports, there was more than one attacker."In addition, according to Fawad, the leadership referred to the attack as "a prelude to a well-thought-out conspiracy" and named three government and military officials as the "masterminds" behind it.
The leadership demanded IG Punjab's immediate replacement and expressed dissatisfaction with his performance.Additionally, Fawad announced that the "Haqeeqi Azadi protest" would continue.
Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique said that the PTI supporter who stopped an attacker from attacking party chief Imran Khan should be protected.
He stated that the statements made by the PTI worker would be included in the incident investigation because they were crucial.
Rafique also said that the assailant should be protected to avoid forcing him to make up a statement of his own choosing.
The minister continued, "We also want to know where Imran Khan was given first aid, and details should come out."
PTI leader Murad Saeed has said that even after an injury, party chairman Imran Khan was determined to the “mafia ruling the country" to prevent any chaos or anarchy.
In response to the gun attack on party chairman Imran Khan, PTI supporters have gathered near the Peshawar Toll Plaza.
Ali Zaman, president of the Peshawar Bar Association, is leading the demonstration, which was organized by the Insaf Lawyers Forum.
The protesters chanted slogans against the government, saying that the Constitution gives them the right to peaceful protest.
One of the demonstrators told Dawn.com that "everyone is in fear" after the attack, adding that Imran had "won seven seats [in elections] without campaigning".
Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique inquired as to why the PTI leadership held three government and military officials accountable for Imran Khan's attack.
"You have started taking names and have no proof, and there are no pictures of Imran receiving first aid."He suggested that "it is possible that this was a planned conspiracy" and demanded an investigation into the incident.
"To uncover the facts, a joint investigation team consisting of the Punjab and federal governments should be formed if the PTI is serious."
Pakistan's Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique has termed the PTI's reaction to the attack on party chairman Imran Khan to be "alarming".
He began at a press conference in Islamabad by calling political violence "hate worthy. "We disagree politically, but we are not enemies."
The minister also commented that the PTI leadership's handling of the situation was "alarming" in its complexity.He inquired as to why the Punjab government had not implemented the necessary safety measures.
"When the firing occurred, where were the security measures?"
He also criticized the PTI for naming three government and military officials as the attackers without providing any evidence.
Qasim Suri, a former deputy speaker of Pakistan's National Assembly, led a protest against the attack on PTI chief Imran Khan at Quetta's Manan Chowk.Slogans decrying the federal government were yelled at by the protesters.
Suri stated in an interview with the media that the protesters would "sacrifice their lives, but would not withdraw from the Haqeeqi Azaadi (true freedom) march."He continued by stating that the marchers' spirits had not been affected by the attack on Imran.
Today, there is a strike to shut down all of Balochistan.Suri went on to say that markets and shops are closed in Qila Abdullah, Nushki, Pashin, Sanjawi, and other districts.
Ramiz Raja prayed for Imran Khan's speedy recovery. His tweet read, “ A very shameful and cowardly act! Prayers for a speedy recovery @ImranKhanPTI".
The possibility of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visiting PTI Chairman Imran Khan to inquire about his health has not been ruled out by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah.
“The [PM] could pay him a visit as a show of goodwill, but this is being thought about, especially in light of the claim he made yesterday against us. “He can take any call in this regard," he said in response to a question at a press conference today in Islamabad. "The prime minister has not yet taken any decision.
According to PTI Senator Ejaz Chaudhary, former premier Imran Khan will preside over a crucial party meeting today at the Shaukat Khanum hospital.
“The future action plan will be announced in the meeting," he tweeted.
As the Punjab government was mandated to ensure the security of the long march and any other activity that took place in the province, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah stated that the Punjab government had to be held accountable for any security breaches during the march.
In a press conference today, the minister stated that he was unsure whether the suspect's video statement was "leaked" or "released."
He added, "Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi is also responsible for this lapse."
Imran Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), will speak to the nation today via video link.
The decision was made, according to well-informed sources, during a meeting with the party leadership at the Shaukat Khanum hospital.
The address will take place at 4 pm today.
Just an hour before the firing, Imran Khan had told supporters in another area of Wazirabad town, where he was scheduled to give a speech that they should go with him to a different area and promised to speak there.
Babar Azam, captain of the Pakistan cricket team, took to Twitter on Thursday to condemn the attack on Imran Khan, the legendary cricketer and former PM of Pakistan.During a rally in Pakistan's Punjab province, shots were fired from the crowd, wounding the captain who won the World Cup in 1992.He was driving a dissent walk to Islamabad to request snap races.A gunman fired multiple shots at the container-mounted truck carrying the former Pakistan Prime Minister, according to an aide to Imran Khan.A hospital is treating Imran Khan.
"Strongly condemn this heinous attack on @ImranKhanPTI. May Allah keep Kaptaan safe and protect our beloved Pakistan, Ameen," Babar Azam wrote in his tweet.
The incident occurred while Pakistan's cricket team was playing South Africa in a T20 World Cup match in Sydney that required a win.With their victory, Pakistan maintained their slim chance of reaching the semifinals.
Bangladesh will play Pakistan in their final Super 12 Group 2 match.To advance in the tournament, they must win that game and hope that either India or South Africa lose their final games.
Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan was recovering in hospital Friday after a gunman shot him in the leg. Khan "was stable and he was doing fine" at Shaukat Khanum hospital in the eastern city of Lahore, his doctor Faisal Sultan told AFP Friday.
"The doctors are allowing him to move ... He is feeling perfectly well and he will soon be discharged," she told AFP.
The party of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was shot and injured in an apparent assassination attempt, said country-wide protests would be held on Friday as tensions remained high in the South Asian nation.
"Today, after Friday prayers, there will be protests across the country, which will continue until Imran Khan's demand is met," Asad Umar, a close Khan aide, said on Twitter.
Khan's supporters began gathering again early on Friday at the spot of the apparent assassination attempt and called on the former prime minister to restart his march on Islamabad.
Since his ouster as prime minister in April, Imran Khan has embarked on a risky campaign to rally public support against prominent generals who lead Pakistan’s most powerful institution. An attempt to kill him on Thursday dramatically raises the stakes for both sides. The shooting also complicates the calculus for the military establishment, which backed Khan’s rise to power in 2018 before a falling out last year. Any future attacks on Khan, or attempts to deny his participation in the next election, would put the spotlight on generals who prefer to stay in the background while wielding outsized influence over domestic and foreign policy. “The Pakistan military won’t want a situation where it has to deal with a large number of people with force," said TCA Raghavan, India’s former ambassador to Pakistan. “So if the protest swells, the army may tell the government to look for a negotiated settlement with Imran Khan."
(Bloomberg)
Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan believed "Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the country's Interior Minister and a top ISI General" were behind the attack.
Imran Khan is stable after an attempt on his life and the former Pakistan prime minister is determined to continue his political struggle to press the government to call for an early election, his party has said as quoted by news agency PTI.
“I will not bow down, but stay determined to bring Haqeeqi Azadi (real freedom) for my fellow Pakistanis," the party's official Twitter handle quoted Khan as saying.
The party will resume march from Wazirabad at 11am on Friday. Khan launched his march on October 28 from Lahore with the aim to reach Islamabad on November 4 to hold a rally for forcing the government to announce fresh elections.
Pakistan's Interior Ministry has asked the Punjab provincial government to constitute a high-level joint investigation team (JIT) to bring facts to light in connection with an assassination attempt on former prime minister Imran Khan.
The ministry has written to the Punjab government over the issue. The communique asked the provincial government to include senior police officers and intelligence personnel in the JIT.
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