Islamabad, Nov 3: Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan was injured on Thursday when an unidentified gunman opened fire on the container-mounted-truck carrying him during his protest march in Pakistan's Punjab province, but he was out of danger, media reports said.
The incident occurred near Allahwala Chowk of Wazirabad town of Punjab when Khan was leading the protest march.
Geo TV footage showed that 70-year-old Khan was hit in the right leg. He has been shifted to a hospital and he is out of danger, the channel said.
ARY News, which is considered as a mouthpiece of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party, reported that Khan was out of danger.
Asad Umar, the senior leader of Khan's party, told ARY News that a bullet hit Khan's leg. He said six people were injured in the attack and two were apparently seriously wounded, including local leader Ahmad Chatha.
"Khan is being taken to Lahore by road. He is not critical but he received a bullet injury," Umar said, adding that Khan's opponent couldn't see Pakistan being transformed.
He, however, didn't blame anyone for the attack.
A gunman fired on the container-mounted truck carrying the former prime minister from a close range, Geo TV reported.
It said one person has been arrested from the spot and police took him to an unknown location.
Initially, it was reported that Khan was safe while some people were injured. However, later it turned out that Khan was also injured in the attack.
There are also reports that Khan's close aide Senator Faisal Javed was also injured in the attack.
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Lucknow (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh Congress on Wednesday staged a statewide protest demanding a fair and transparent inquiry into the FIR lodged against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and those who filed the complaint against him.
In a statement issued here, the party said memorandums addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were submitted through district magistrates in all districts of the state.
Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi told PTI that the memorandums were handed over through the district administration in all 75 districts.
In the memorandum, the party alleged that Saraswati and his disciples were "unnecessarily harassed and humiliated" by police on the occasion of Amavasya and were prevented from taking a ritual bath (at the Magh Mela). It further alleged that some disciples were manhandled and taken to a police station.
The memorandum also claimed that an FIR was later registered against Saraswati, his disciple Swami Mukundanand Brahmachari and several unidentified persons in a sexual harassment case. It termed the case a "conspiracy" aimed at tarnishing the seer's reputation.
Citing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, the memorandum stated that these provisions guarantee religious freedom and the right of religious denominations to manage their own affairs.
It described the position of shankaracharya held by Saraswati as "one of the highest spiritual posts in Sanatan tradition" and alleged that the entire episode appeared to have been "orchestrated in a planned manner".
"We request that the background of the persons who got the FIR registered be investigated in a transparent manner by a retired high court judge and strict action be taken against them," the memorandum said.
It also sought a "fair and transparent probe" into the allegations levelled against Saraswati so that the truth could be established.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai had told reporters in Varanasi after meeting Saraswati that the party stood firmly with him.
The Congress said it would continue to press for an impartial inquiry into the entire episode.
On February 21, an FIR was lodged in Prayagraj against Saraswati and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari on charges of sexually abusing two persons, including a minor, over the past year at a gurukul and religious congregations, including the recently concluded Magh Mela.
Days after he was booked, Saraswati had said on Monday that he would not oppose his arrest and asserted that the "fabricated story" would be exposed sooner or later.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Saraswati alleged that criminals rule in Uttar Pradesh, level allegations and influence investigations, as he denied having any contact with the two persons for whose alleged sexual abuse he has been booked.
