Imran Khan stable, recovering; vows to continue protest march to Islamabad
Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan is reported to be stable after an attempt on his life was made in Wazirabad on Thursday night while he was leading his long march Islamabad. Khan is recovering in hospital on Friday after the assassination attempt left him with a gunshot wound to 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 morning.
Also read: Pakistan: Imran Khan shot at; says PM Shehbaz behind ‘murder attempt’
March to continue
Meanwhile, Khan, chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), has signalled his intent to continue his political struggle to press the government to call for an early election, his party was 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.
His party also tweeted that Khan believed “Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the country’s Interior Minister and a top ISI General” were behind the attack.
The party will resume march from Wazirabad on Friday. Khan had 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.
PTI said that country-wide protests would be held “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 early on Friday at the spot of the apparent assassination attempt and called on the former prime minister to restart his march on Islamabad.
PTI workers protest
Workers of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) resorted to protests across capital Islamabad and Rawalpindi after PTI chairman Imran Khan was injured in an assassination attempt in Wazirabad while leading his long march towards Islamabad.
The PTI blocked several roads in Rawalpindi by burning tyres and chanted slogans against the federal government and police high-ups due to the attack on Imran Khan, reported Dawn. A clash between the Islamabad police and PTI protestors was also reported. PTI leaders accused police of firing tear gas shells to disperse the protesters while the police said that some protesters resorted to aerial firing on the occasion.
High level team to investigate
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 assassination attempt on 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.
Also read: US condemns attack on Imran Khan during protest march
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.
