Among the wounded was Faisal Javed,a lawmaker from Tehreek-e-Insaf. In a video statement,with blood staining his clothes,Javed said Khan’s protest march to Islamabad would not stop.

The attack raised new concerns about growing political instability in Pakistan,a nuclear-armed nation with a massive population of 225 million people.

Since Khan was ousted in a no-confidence vote in Parliament in April,Khan has mobilised mass rallies across the country,where he has whipped up crowds with claims that he was a victim of a conspiracy by his successor,Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif,and the United States. Both the new premier and Washington have denied such allegations.

Sharif’s government has said that there would be no early vote and that the next elections will be held according to schedule,in 2023.

Khan’s latest challenge to the government comes after Pakistan’s elections commission disqualified him from holding public office for five years for allegedly selling state gifts unlawfully and concealing assets as premier.

Khan,who has challenged the disqualification in a pending court case,has said he would sue Chief Election Commissioner Sikandara Raja,who was behind the decision,for calling him a “dishonest person.”

It was not immediately known if Khan’s convoy would proceed on to Islamabad. Earlier,Chaudhry,the senior party leader,had said they plan to enter Islamabad on Friday.

The attack comes at a time when impoverished Pakistan is grappling with the aftermath of unprecedented floods that struck this Islamic nation over the summer,killing 1,735 people and displacing 33 million.

Bloomberg,AP

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