Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan was injured when shots were fired near the container of PTI's long march which has anchored at Wazirabad on Thursday afternoon, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Imran Khan received a bullet in his leg and was rushed away from the panicked crowd to a hospital on a stretcher with strict security cordon laid around him.
Moreover, one person got killed and seven others were injured including the close aide of PTI chief Senator Faisal Javaid, Imran Ismael, Ahmad Chattha and Imran Yousaf, said the SHO of the area who also claimed that police have arrested the culprit.
PTI leader Asad Umar while talking to a news channel said the PTI leader Ahmad Chattha was in critical condition.
PTI leader Hammad Azhar has said that party member Ahmad Chattha was injured by two gunshots during an attack on Imran’s convoy during the long march in Wazirabad today.
“He [Chattha] is out of danger,” Azhar said, adding that the wounds were not deep and he was being operated upon to remove the bullets.
Many people were reportedly injured in the firing incident that took place when the PTI's long march caravan reached Allah Wala Chowk in Wazirabad in the afternoon.
https://twitter.com/PTIofficial/status/1588137362760007680
The firing caused panic among the marchers which triggered a stampede in which many people also got injured.
PTI leader Hammad Azhar has appealed to the marchers to give way to the ambulance.
Two injured were shifted to Gujranwala's civil hospital including Imran Khan's security person Manazar and a 16-year-old boy Areeb.
"There was a guy who was in front of the container who had this automatic pistol. He fired a burst. Everyone who was standing in the very front row got hit," former information minister Fawad Chaudhry, who was standing behind Khan, told AFP.
He said supporters in the crowd tried to snatch the gun from the attacker.
"In that scuffle he missed the target. There was so much blood on the container."
Six people on the container were hit and one supporter killed, he said.
In a statement, the Punjab police have confirmed that seven people were injured and a person was killed during the attack on PTI chairman Imran Khan’s container during the long march in Wazirabad.
It stated that the deceased has been identified as Muazzam Nawaz.
The statement added that a suspect has been taken into custody from the attack site.
According to AFP, the man suspected of attacking former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan during a political rally has been shot dead, an aide said.
"A second man was taken into police custody," Raoof Hasan, a senior Khan aide told AFP, adding that it was unclear who shot the first attacker.
President Arif Alvi termed the act as a heinous one.
"Heinous assassination attempt on the brave @ImranKhanPTI. I thank Allah that he is safe but injured with a few bullets in his leg & hopefully non-critical. This attack is shocking, alarming, disgraceful, deceitful & cowardly. May Allah give him health & to all those injured."
https://twitter.com/ArifAlvi/status/1588145401256984
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has strongly condemned the firing incident and has sought an immediate report from Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Chief Secretary and IGP.
Interior Minister Rana Sana also showed regret over the incident and sought a report from the concerned officials.
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also condemned the attack.
Former premier Nawaz Sharif also condemned the attack and prayed for the injured.
PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz has condemned the firing on PTI chairman Imran Khan.
She also prayed for the speedy recovery of the former premier and others injured.