A gunman shot Ahsan Iqbal, the interior minister and a senior member of the ruling PML-N party in Pakistan, as he was leaving a meeting in Punjab province. Iqbal is recovering in hospital from a bullet wound, with Minister Talal Chaudhry stating that he is stable and in good spirits. Opposition leaders have condemned the attack, while a member of Imran Khan's PTI party suggested that the attack was a result of large rallies protesting former Prime Minister Sharif's removal by the Supreme Court in July. "We strongly disapprove of it. However, Nawaz's unfounded accusations against his rivals are significantly impacting the political atmosphere, stirring up tension and resentment," stated Naeem ul Haq, the chief of staff for former cricket star Khan. "Therefore, if Nawaz Sharif continues to spread negativity, such incidents will persist." Last July, Pakistan's Supreme Court removed Sharif from the position of prime minister due to a minor instance of undisclosed income, and he is currently facing trial in an anti-corruption court. Despite this, his political party still holds a majority in parliament. Sharif has criticized the court's decision as a plot orchestrated by his opponent Khan, often rallying his supporters to express his grievances. Sharif has also accused Khan of being a puppet of the influential military establishment, known for its interference in Pakistani politics. Khan refutes allegations of collaborating with the army, while the military denies involvement in political matters. The recent attack on Sunday has increased tension leading up to the upcoming election, anticipated to take place in late July. Initial reports suggest that the attacker may have ties to a new Islamist political group advocating for strict sharia law and the death penalty for blasphemy. The group, Tehreek-e-Labaik, denies any connection to the attacker. "We do not have weapons. We are engaged in a nonviolent battle. Those plotting against Tehreek-e-Labaik will not achieve their goals." Khadim Hussain Rizvi, the leader of the party, denounced the attack on Iqbal on Sunday, stating that Labaik is peacefully striving to establish the Prophet's religion. According to the police, Iqbal was shot in the right arm, with the bullet then entering his groin. The suspected shooter, identified as 21-year-old Abid Hussain, has not had a motive officially reported. Minister of state Chaudhry stated that the individual responsible for the attack has a background in religious radicalism. He mentioned that other individuals have been arrested and that the police are investigating groups that may have influenced the attack. Chaudhry emphasized that radicalism is not an individual issue, but rather a social problem that is perpetuated by others. Labaik, the group behind the attack, was formed from a protest movement that supported Mumtaz Qadri, who killed the governor of Punjab in 2011 over blasphemy laws. The movement caused major protests last year over changes to electoral laws that they deemed blasphemous. The attack on Iqbal has raised concerns about potential violence from Islamist groups leading up to the elections, recalling the violent incidents during previous elections, including the assassination of Benazir Bhutto in 2007.