Türkiye condemns attack on Pakistan's ex-Premier Imran Khan

By Merve Aydogan

ANKARA (AA) – Türkiye on Friday condemned an attack on former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan in which he was injured.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry wished "speedy recovery" to Khan and conveyed its condolences over the death of a Pakistani citizen in the attack.

On Thursday, a gunman opened fire at a campaign truck carrying Khan in the Wazirabad district in the eastern Punjab province, wounding him in the leg. He was shifted to a hospital in Lahore and is said to be in stable condition.

Leaders of his party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, said it was a planned assassination attempt, and have accused the prime minister, interior minister and an intelligence official of being involved in the attack.

Since his ouster in a no-confidence vote in parliament in April, Khan has held a series of anti-government rallies for "real freedom," and has alleged that he was removed in a US-sponsored conspiracy. The coalition government and Washington have denied the claims.

Last week, Khan started his "long march" protest towards the capital Islamabad to demand early elections. But Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's government said there would be no early vote, and the next elections will be held as scheduled, in late 2023.