A senior member of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and ally of ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, was shot by a gunman on Sunday while leaving a constituency meeting in Punjab province. Iqbal is currently recovering in the hospital from a bullet wound, with Minister of State for Interior Affairs Talal Chaudhry stating that he is stable and in good spirits. Leaders from Pakistan's main opposition parties have all condemned the assassination attempt, while a prominent official from Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) opposition party suggested that Sharif's large rallies protesting his removal by the Supreme Court last July may have contributed to creating the backdrop for the attack. Naeem ul Haq, chief of staff for former cricket star Khan, strongly criticized Nawaz Sharif for making baseless accusations against his opponents and fueling tension and anger in the political climate. He warned that if Sharif continues to spread lies, such incidents will persist. Despite being disqualified as prime minister by Pakistan's Supreme Court last July for a minor financial discrepancy, Sharif's party still holds a majority in parliament. Sharif has accused the court ruling as a conspiracy orchestrated by rival Khan, portraying him as a puppet of the military establishment known for interfering in politics. Khan refutes allegations of collusion with the army, while the military denies involvement in politics. The attack on Sunday has increased tensions leading up to the upcoming election in late July. Initial reports suggest that the attacker may have ties to a new Islamist political party that advocates for the death penalty for blasphemy and the implementation of strict sharia law. However, the Islamists deny any connection to the attacker, according to a local administrator's report seen by Reuters. Party leader Khadim Hussain Rizvi emphasized that they are engaged in a peaceful struggle and those working against Tehreek-e-Labaik will not be victorious. He condemned the attack on Iqbal, stating that Labaik is striving to establish the Prophet's religion without the use of weapons. The police revealed that Iqbal was shot in the right arm and the bullet entered his groin. The suspected shooter, identified as Abid Hussain, 21, has not had a motive officially confirmed. Minister of state Chaudhry stated that religious radicalism is a part of the suspect's background, and mentioned that other individuals have been arrested and police are investigating groups that may have influenced the attack. He emphasized that radicalism is not just an individual issue, but a social problem that is instigated by others. Labaik, the group responsible for the attack, originated from a protest movement in support of Mumtaz Qadri, who murdered the governor of Punjab in 2011 over his stance on blasphemy laws. The movement caused significant disruptions, including shutting down the country's capital for three weeks, and is now linked to the recent assassination attempt on Iqbal, sparking concerns of potential violence by Islamists leading up to the upcoming elections.