Imran Khan shot at Pakistan protest rally, say associates - The Washington Post

In a connection work by Asad Umar, a elder person of Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Khan said “that helium is already receiving immoderate accusation and helium tin accidental with authority” that Pakistan’s premier minister, interior curate and spy main were down the attack.

“Khan demands that these 3 radical shall beryllium removed from their offices,” Umar said successful remarks to section broadcasters. “If they were not sacked, a nationwide protestation volition beryllium held. We volition not let Pakistan to beryllium tally similar this. Our protestation volition proceed until these 3 radical are sacked.”

Interior curate Rana Sanaullah called the allegations baseless. “They don’t person immoderate grounds and are lone making these mendacious accusations for their governmental interests,” helium said. Sanaullah said that Khan’s enactment had been spreading “extremist views” that were caller rebounding connected Khan and his supporters.

“Remember you tin besides go the people of that hate,” helium said. “Please halt this, it volition lone invitation much violence.”

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif earlier condemned the shooting successful a connection Thursday and ordered an investigation.

Video footage of the onslaught released by Khan’s bureau showed enactment leaders atop a autobus ducking for screen arsenic a burst of shots rang retired implicit euphony playing from the crowd.

“Khan was deed successful the foot, but his information is stable,” Umar told the section Pakistani broadcaster ARY News. He said the erstwhile person is receiving aesculapian attraction successful Lahore. “Five to six different enactment leaders, who were atop of a motortruck with Khan, were besides injured. One idiosyncratic is successful superior condition,” helium said.

The onslaught has intensified escalating hostilities betwixt Khan and the Pakistani government. Khan supporters and members of his enactment are describing it arsenic an assassination attempt, allegations that Pakistan’s enactment accidental are attempts to politicize the shooting and stoke unrest.

In a video confession released by section police, the alleged shooter said helium acted unsocial and did not notation a governmental information for the attack. The man, who is not named successful the video, said helium changeable astatine Khan due to the fact that large euphony was playing during the march astatine the aforesaid clip arsenic the Muslim telephone to prayer, an enactment considered disrespectful by galore blimpish Muslims.

“I tried to termination him. I truly tried to termination him, conscionable and lone Imran Khan and nary 1 else,” the antheral said successful the video broadcast by respective Pakistani quality outlets. “It was my abrupt decision,” helium said, suggesting that it was not a planned attack. “No 1 is down maine and nary 1 was with me. I was acting unsocial and nary 1 came with me.”

In an code to the nation, Information curate Maryam Aurangzeb condemned the incidental and called for calm.

“The shooter has fixed the reasons wherefore helium tried to termination Khan and hence determination is nary request to impact authorities successful this issue,” she said. She called allegations of an assassination effort “very unfortunate” and said, “Please refrain from specified irresponsible statements unless and until probe is completed.”

Khan was ousted successful a no-confidence ballot this twelvemonth but has since been gathering fashionable enactment crossed the state with ample rallies slamming authorities officials arsenic corrupt and calling them overseas puppets.

Last week, Khan launched a march toward the country’s capital, Islamabad, to request aboriginal elections. He pledged that the march would culminate successful the largest objection successful Pakistan’s history.

Khan has travel nether expanding unit from the Pakistani authorities arsenic his fashionable protestation question has grown. Several ineligible cases person been filed against him, including 1 nether Pakistan’s anti-terrorism law. On Friday, Pakistan’s spy main made a uncommon nationalist connection accusing Khan of asking the subject for “illegal and unconstitutional” support.

Lt. Gen. Nadeem Anjum, who seldom appears successful public, announced the accusations astatine a heated quality conference. He said Khan asked the subject for favors during his clip successful power, but did not specify what Khan requested.

Khan’s enactment denied immoderate wrongdoing.

Pakistan’s subject is considered the astir almighty unit successful the country, but elder leaders of the information forces seldom measurement successful connected authorities publicly.

George reported from Kabul.