PTI Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan addressed the supporters Friday, following the attempt on his life during the ongoing anti-government protest march towards Islamabad.
A large number of PTI supporters also took to the streets to lodge their protest against the assassination attempt on party chairman.
Clashes erupted between the PTI workers and the police in various cities which led police to use tear gas to disperse the protestors.
The PTI chair was injured after a man opened fire at him in Gujranwala near the party's reception camp. He sustained injuries on his leg.
He is leading an anti-government long march toward Islamabad. He earlier said that the protest march will continue for another 10 months till the date for elections is announced.
Before this announcement, the plan was to reach the federal capital by November 4. It was later revised to November 8-9 and then again revised to November 11. PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry then announced the party will keep changing the dates to "tire the government out".
This is the PTI chair's second march towards Islamabad after he was ousted via a no-confidence motion earlier this year.
The political instability in Pakistan has also fuelled economic uncertainty, with international rating agencies questioning if the current government can maintain difficult economic policies in the face of political pressure and looming elections.
Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb has said that PTI Chairman Imran Khan wanted to lodge a first information report (FIR) of his choice regarding the attack on him instead of following the law.
In a statement, Aurangzeb said that police and investigation agencies have been barred from entering the Shaukat Khanum Hospital.
Rejecting the allegations of Khan and PTI about the assassination attempt, the information minister said that the incident took place in Gujarat — the constituency of Punjab CM Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.
Responding to PTI Chairman Imran Khan's allegations that three people, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, and a major of the Pakistan Army, were involved in plotting his assassination, the country's military rejected the statement as "baseless."
According to a press release by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the "baseless and irresponsible allegations by chairman PTI against the institution and particularly a senior army officer are absolutely unacceptable and uncalled for."
In the statement, the military's media wing said that the Pakistan army prides itself on being an extremely professional and well-disciplined organisation with a robust and highly effective internal accountability system applicable across the board for unlawful acts, if any, committed by uniformed personnel.
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JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that Imran Khan started the fire of hatred in politics, so now he will himself going to burn in it.
"The use of blind religious fanaticism in politics will sink them," Fazl said, adding that the Gujranwala incident took place in Punjab, where a PTI-backed government is in power.
"The suspect was caught by a PTI worker and handed over to the Punjab Police after which the police acquired a statement from him. They are spreading provocation by falsely accusing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Rana Sana, and army officers."
A high-level investigation of the matter is necessary so that the nation can know the real facts, the JUI-F chief said.
PTI Secretary-General Asad Umar Friday announced that PTI would stage countrywide protests at 5pm tomorrow.
The senior party leader said that he too would join protesters at Liberty Chowk, Lahore.
At the outset of Imran Khan's presser, Dr Faisal Sultan briefed the masses about his health condition while revealing that he was hit by four bullets.
Dr Sultan displayed Khan's X-ray reports on a screen and highlighted the details of the injuries that the party chief sustained — including a fracture — among other injuries.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan Friday revealed that he already knew about the looming danger as he broke the silence a day after being shot during an "assassination attempt."
Addressing the PTI supporters from Shaukat Khanum Hospital — where he is receiving treatment for his injuries — Khan said: "I had already learned that there was a plan in place to kill me somewhere between Wazirabad and Gujrat."
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Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, while addressing a workers' convention, said that the province where Imran Khan was attacked is responsible.
"Whatever happened in the long march should be condemned," Asif said, adding that taking political advantage of such incidents is also condemnable.
"Those who were injured did not receive any medical treatment," the defence minister said.
He added that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, and the establishment are being targeted for no reason.
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The Spokesperson to the Chief Minister of Punjab Musarrat Cheema took to Twitter and announced that Khan would hold the press conference after 6pm.
The PTI had earlier said Khan would hold the address at 4pm.
PTI leader Pervez Khattak took to his Twitter account and told the government that chaotic scenes are ensuing across the country because the party's "red line was crossed."
"You crossed our red line…..Now face the music," the former defence minister wrote on Twitter.
Islamabad Police said protesters are near Faizabad and our pelting stones and using slingshots on police personnel.
Taking to Twitter, ICT Police urged protestors to maintain law and order, advising them to protect their children.
PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said that the senior leadership of the party held a meeting with Khan's doctors to discuss his operation. He said that initial details indicate that the PTI chief was not shot by a lone wolf but by multiple attackers were involved.
He further said that Khan was the head of Pakistan's largest and only federal party. "An attack on Imran Khan is an attack on Pakistan," he said, adding that during the meeting, the martyrdom of Mozam Gondal and the courage and bravery demonstrated by Ibtisam were lauded by the leaders.
"The leadership examined the background of the attack in detail and described it as a "prelude to a well-thought-out conspiracy", he said.
Fawad claimed that the masterminds behind the attack include three main suspects — Shahbaz Sharif, Rana Sanaullah, and a major from the army. "Without removing them from their posts, it is not possible to proceed with the investigation."
The PTI supporters took to the streets as countrywide protests against the attack on party chief Imran Khan begin.
The police have arrested two more suspects, involved in the assassination attempt of Imran Khan, based on the information provided by the prime suspect Naveed, said sources.
The police sources revealed that the two other suspects — Waqas and Sajid Butt — sold Naveed a pistol and bullets for Rs20,000. They said that the pistol was given without any number and license
The police arrested them from Wazirabad, said the sources.
PTI’s provincial lawmaker Seemabia Tahir Friday moved a resolution in Punjab Assembly that condemns the cowardly bid on the life of former prime minister Imran Khan in Wazirabad.
The resolution states that this forum decries the attack on the PTI chairman in the strongest of words and expresses its utmost grief over the martyrdom of a party worker.
“This house equally shares the sorrow of the bereaved family and salutes the bravery of the victims. It also honours the valiant worker who, putting his own life at stake, stopped the attacker. And because of his effort, the country averted a huge mishap,” the resolution said.
The resolution further states that this house prays to Allah Almighty for the elevation of the martyr’s ranks in paradise and for saving Pakistan from any catastrophe in the days to come.
Rejecting the allegations made by PTI against him, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that they see Imran Khan as a political opponent, not as an enemy.
“We see Imran Khan as a political opponent, not an enemy. Imran Khan thinks of political opponents as enemies,” said Sanaullah during a press conference.
The minister also pointed out that the suspect is in police custody and his statement was recorded in Gujrat.
“No FIR has been registered of the incident. Maybe they are trying to register the FIR as per their wishes,” said Sanaullah.
The ruling parties are willing to inquire after Imran Khan’s health in person if the environment improves, says Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah.
He made the statement on Friday in a press conference a day after an assassination attempt on the PTI chairman during PTI's long march.
“When Imran Khan had an incident before, Nawaz Sharif went to inquire about his health,” said Sanaullah. He added that the prime minister is considering going to inquire after Khan’s health and will take a decision on this.
Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has called for a transparent inquiry into the incident of firing on PTI’s long march to expose the real culprits behind it.
Speaking on the floor of the House on Friday, he said using this incident for political gain and hurling baseless accusations against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and others should be avoided. He said a Joint Investigation Team should be constituted to ensure a transparent and credible probe to apprehend culprits involved in this incident.
Seemi Bokhari, a lawmaker with Imran Khan's PTI, said after visiting Khan the former premier was in high spirits.
"The doctors are allowing him to move ... He is feeling perfectly well and he will soon be discharged," she told AFP.
The man who fired on PTI Chairman Imran Khan is a drug user, initial investigation suggested Friday.
According to the investigation, the suspect purchased 46 bullets with a pistol. He first tried to use the roof of a mosque [for his attack], however, the police did not allow him there due to Asr prayers.
He then reportedly reached the site through Bypass Road, per the investigation. It also revealed that the suspect asked the participants in the march to pray and stop the party anthem.
12:01pm — Family of victim Moazzam asks Imran, Punjab govt to not spare criminals
The brother of the man who lost his life a day back during the assasination attempt on PTI Chairman Imran Khan has asked that the former prime minister and Punjab government "not spare the criminals [responsible] under any circumstances".
The victim, Moazzam, was attending the march with his children when the incident took place.
"We are proud that our brother lost his life bravely," Moazzam's brother said. He added that he hopes the sacrifice of his brother will not go in vain.
The police have arrested a suspicious person outside Shaukat Khanum Hospital in Lahore.
The police said that the person belongs to Raiwind.
The top PTI leadership has decided to hold a consultative meeting at 1pm today under the chairmanship of Imran Khan, spokesperson of Punjab the chief minister, Musarrat Cheema said.
The meeting will take place at Shaukat Khanum hospital after which further action plans will be announced, Cheema said on Twitter.
Punjab Education Minister Murad Raas, after meeting Imran Khan at the Shaukat Khanum Hospital, shared that the PTI chair’s health is much better.
"Khan’s health is much better. Let’s see what doctors advise Imran Khan,” said Raas. He also added that the party’s march towards Islamabad will continue.
The long march management ignored the numerous threat alerts given by the Punjab Police even in written form, reported local media.
The PTI leaders, as well as Imran Khan’s chief security officer, were informed about the threats by the police. The police had told the PTI long march administration to use bulletproof rostrum and glass a number of times.
Meanwhile, Regional Police Officer (RPO) Gujrat Division Muhammad Akhtar Abbas said that the unfortunate incident in Gujranwala during the long march could have been avoided if a bulletproof rostrum had been used.
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