Imran Khan supporter block road near Islamabad, assassination attempt.
The former prime minister, who has been calling for a general election since he was deposed as prime minister in April after losing a confidence vote in parliament, was shot at the rally last Thursday. He’s recovering from leg injuries. “People are finding it difficult to get to work,” said Yawar Ali, a police official. “Families have been stuck in traffic for several hours. We’ve even heard that the imran khan Supporter protesters have refused to let ambulances pass.”
Shehbaz Sharif, Khan’s successor as Prime Minister, has rejected Khan’s demand for new elections, fueling instability in the nuclear-armed country of 220 million people.
- Despite sanctions, North Korea’s missile launches demonstrate a lack of weapons funding and materials.
- Malaysia’s Mahathir, 97, vows one final fight against a tainted government.
- The shooter of a mosque in New Zealand has filed an appeal against his life sentence.
- Since the start of the pandemic, the Philippines’ unemployment rate has reached a new low.
- Ukraine’s Zelenskiy will attend the G20 summit next week, according to public broadcaster.
Protest Camp
Protests by Khan’s supporters began late Monday on major roads in and around Islamabad. They have closed the highways leading to Islamabad’s international airport as well as those connecting the capital to the cities of Lahore and Peshawar.
On television, supporters of Khan were seen burning tyres as they set up protest camps across roads. According to Reuters, the government ordered all public and private schools to close for the day. On Oct. 28, Khan, 70, began what is known as a long-march protest rally from Lahore to the capital.
Last Thursday, he was waving to the crowd from a container mounted on a truck in Wazirabad, Punjab province, when a man opened fire on him. Khan was one of ten people injured.
- One member of the party was killed.
- The suspect in the shooting has been apprehended by police.
Khan’s party announced late Monday that the march would resume on Thursday at the location where Khan was attacked, and that he would virtually lead it. The political tension comes as Pakistan is dealing with economic turmoil exacerbated by recent flooding, which the government estimates caused $30 billion in economic losses.
