ISLAMABAD: Political leaders belonging to the ruling coalition including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Quaid Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, PPP chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz have condemned the assassination attempt on former premier and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.
The leadership of the ruling coalition in their separate statements over Twitter condemned the attack and prayed for early recovery of the PTI chairman and others who got injured during an attack on his convoy in Gujranwala.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a Twitter statement, condemned the attack and sought an immediate report from the interior minister on the incident, besides stating that the federal government will provide every necessary support to the Punjab government for security and investigation into the incident.
“I condemn the incident of firing on PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the strongest words. I have directed Interior Minister for an immediate report on the incident. I pray for the recovery and health of PTI chairman & other injured people,” he stated in a tweet.
In another tweet, the prime minister stated that the federal government will extend all support necessary to the Punjab government for security and investigation. “Violence should have no place in our country’s politics,” he added.
“I condemn the firing on Imran Khan and his aides and pray for the early recovery of the injured,” Nawaz Sharif stated in a tweet.
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In a tweet, Foreign Minister Bilawal also strongly condemned the attack on Imran Khan and prayed for his swift recovery.
PPP co-chairman Asif Zardari, in a statement, also condemned the attack and prayed for Imran Khan’s speedy recovery. The former president also stated that the incident should be thoroughly probed.
In a tweet, PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz said: “I condemn the firing on Imran Khan and pray to Allah Almighty for early recovery of the injured including him [Imran Khan].”
In a statement, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman also strongly condemned the firing on PTI’s rally, saying that the incident was a “question mark” on the performance of the provincial government with regard to security arrangements.
“Firing on PTI long-march is deplorable, [I] strongly condemn it. I condemn violence in politics,” the JUI-F chief said. He also prayed for the early recovery of those injured in the attack.
Earlier in the day, a gunman opened fire on the container of Imran Khan in Gujranwala, in which one person was killed while Imran Khan and others got injured. PTI’s Senator Faisal Javed was also among the injured.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022