Islamabad, Pakistan
CNN
—
Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan He was shot in the leg at a rally on Thursday, an official from his party said, adding that the incident was an assassination attempt.
A bullet hit Con Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader Asad Umar said after an unidentified gunman opened fire at his feet.
Former Pakistan cricket captain Gujranwala was taken to Lahore for treatment from a rally outside the city. At least three people were injured in the firing. The extent of other injuries is not yet known.
On October 21, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) recommended Khan’s disqualification from political office for five years, further fueling political tensions in the country.
While reading the recommendation, ECP chief Sikandar Sultan Raja said Khan was disqualified for engaging in “corrupt activities”.
The commission said its decision was based on Khan making “false statements” about his reported sales of gifts sent to him by the leaders of Saudi Arabia and Dubai while in office – an illegal offense under the country’s constitution. .
Khan was ousted in a no-confidence vote in April following allegations of poor governance and economic mismanagement.
Since then, he has repeatedly claimed, without any evidence, that the US planned to expel him. Khan’s accusations have become a staple of his rallies across Pakistan in his bid to return to power.
His claims have struck a chord with a young demographic in a country where anti-American sentiment is high, and anti-establishment sentiment fueled by a rising cost-of-living crisis.
This is not the first time that Pakistani politicians have been attacked.
Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated on December 27, 2007, and then Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani survived an assassination attempt in 2008.
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