Pakistan forms team to probe assassination attempt at minister

A provincial government of Pakistan formed an investigation team on Monday to probe Sunday's assassination attempt at country's Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, an official statement said.

According to the announcement, the Punjab government formed a five-member joint investigation team (JIT), comprising members from the police department as well as intelligence agencies, to conduct an investigation into the attack.

The minister was shot and injured by a single bullet on Sunday evening during a rally in his hometown Narowal, a district in Punjab.

Iqbal was rushed to a nearby hospital and later airlifted to a hospital in the provincial capital Lahore where he underwent two surgeries.

Doctors told media that the bullet fractured two bones of Iqbal's right arm before entering into the groin area.

According to a local official, a local resident opened fire at the minister soon after he concluded his speech during the rally.

The gunman, Abid Hussain, 22, merely managed to fire one shot from his pistol from a distance of 10 to 12 meters before he was detained by the police.

The suspect reportedly confessed to the crime, saying he had bought the weapon used in the incident from a local person.

A pistol with nine bullets was recovered from the arrested suspect and a case was registered under charges of attempted murder, terrorism and illegal weapon possession.

Hussain was produced before the anti-terrorism court on Monday where his 10-day physical remand was approved.

Moreover, police also claimed to have arrested two aides of the suspect who were involved in facilitating the attacker.

The gunmen told police that he attempted to assassinate the minister because he was among the ruling party's members who changed a religious law last year.

--IANS

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