KEY POINTS
- Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan has survived a suspected assassination attempt.
- A man has been killed and several in his convoy were wounded in the attack during a march to Islamabad.
- The United States, Canada and Saudi Arabia have denounced the violence against Mr Khan.
Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan is in stable condition after being shot in the leg during a political rally on Thursday.
The country's president Arif Alvi has described the attack as a "heinous assassination attempt" and has demanded justice.
Here's what we know so far about the shooting.
What happened?
Mr Khan was shot in his shin in Wazirabad, in eastern Punjab, where he led an anti-government convoy that was heading to the capital city of Islamabad.
One person has been killed and at least nine others in his convoy were wounded in the attack, nearly 200km from the capital.
Local media on Thursday showed footage of Mr Khan waving to the crowd after being evacuated from his vehicle after the shooting.
The former Pakistan cricket captain was taken to hospital as protesters poured out onto streets in some parts of the country and his party officials demanded justice.
"It was a clear assassination attempt. Khan was hit but he's stable. There was a lot of bleeding," Fawad Chaudhry, a spokesperson for Mr Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, told news agency Reuters.
He said supporters in the crowd tried to snatch the gun from the attacker.
"If the shooter had not been stopped by people there, the entire PTI leadership would have been wiped out."
Mr Khan was out of danger, said physician Faisal Sultan, head of the Lahore hospital where he was being treated.
Why is Imran Khan protesting?
in April this year in a vote of no confidence by the government. He was later convicted by Pakistan's election commission of selling state gifts unlawfully. He has categorically denied all charges.
Since being ousted as prime minister, Mr Khan's popularity has only grown, whipping up large crowds in opposition campaigns to topple the current government that is struggling to bring the economy out of a crisis.
His "Long March" began on 28 October from Lahore, his ranks gathering numbers as he journeyed to Islamabad - initially scheduled to arrive by 11 November - demanding an election.
"I want that all of you participate. This is not for politics or personal gain, or to topple the government ... this is to bring genuine freedom to the country," Mr Khan said in a video message on the eve of the march.
Who was the gunman?
Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said a man had been arrested over the attack and police have not yet revealed the identity or the motive of the alleged gunman.
TV channels showed a suspected shooter, who looked to be in his twenties or thirties. He said he wanted to kill Mr Khan and had acted alone.
"He [Mr Khan] was misleading the people, and I couldn't bear it," the suspect said in the video. The information minister confirmed the footage was recorded by police.
Was there a political motive?
In a video statement, Asad Umar, one of Mr Khan's top aides, said Mr Khan believed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and intelligence official Major-General Faisal Naseer were behind the attack. He did not provide any evidence to back the allegation.
Ms Sanaullah, speaking to journalists alongside Aurangzeb, rejected the allegation and said the Sharif-led coalition government demanded an independent, high-powered investigation.
Mr Sharif also condemned the shooting and ordered an immediate investigation.
Supporters of former prime minister Imran Khan shout slogans during a protest after Khan suffered bullet injuries near Wazirabad, in Karachi, Pakistan, 3 November 2022. Source: AAP / (EPA/SHAHZAIB AKBER 1804)
In a previous statement, the military called the shooting "highly condemnable".
Mr Khan, 70, had accused the military of backing the plan to oust him from power. Last week, the military held a news conference to deny the claims.
Pervaiz Elahi, the chief minister of Punjab, the province in which Khan's party is in power and where the shooting occurred, said he was forming a joint investigation team.
"I heard a burst of bullet shots after which I saw Imran Khan and his aides fall down on the truck," witness Qazzafi Butt told Reuters.
"Later, a gunman shot a single shot but was grabbed by an activist of Khan's party."
Has this happened before in Pakistan?
Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in December 2007 in a gun and bomb attack after holding an election rally in the city of Rawalpindi, next to Islamabad.
Her father and former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was hanged in the same city in 1979 after being deposed in a military coup.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Faisal Javed, a senator and close aid of Mr Khan, who was injured in a shooting incident waits to receive first aid, in Wazirabad, Pakistan, on Thursday, 3 November 2022. Source: AAP / (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf via AP)
How has the international community reacted?
The assassination attempt on Mr Khan drew condemnation from Saudi Arabia, the United States and Canada.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged all sides in Pakistan to refrain from violence as he condemned the assassination attempt on Mr Khan.
"Violence has no place in politics, and we call on all parties to refrain from violence, harassment and intimidation," Mr Blinken said in a statement.
"The United States is deeply committed to a democratic and peaceful Pakistan, and we stand with the Pakistani people."
Pakistani human rights activist Malala Yousafzai also denounced the attack on Twitter, describing the violence as "never an appropriate protest".
With additional reporting by Rayane Tamer.
