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 as he left a constituency meeting in Punjab province. Iqbal is currently recovering in 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 various opposition parties in Pakistan have condemned the assassination attempt, although 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 created a backdrop for the attack. "We strongly denounce it. However, Nawaz's baseless accusations against his opponents are negatively impacting the political atmosphere, causing tension and anger," stated Naeem ul Haq, chief of staff for former cricket star Khan. "If Nawaz Sharif continues to spread hate, such incidents will persist." Pakistan's Supreme Court removed Sharif as prime minister last July due to a minor unreported income issue and he is currently facing trial in an anti-corruption court, despite his party still holding a majority in parliament. Sharif has criticized the court's decision as a conspiracy orchestrated by rival Khan, often rallying his supporters to express his grievances. He has also portrayed Khan as a puppet of the influential military establishment, known for interfering in Pakistani politics. Khan refutes claims of collusion with the army, while the military denies involvement in politics. The recent attack on Sunday has increased tension leading up to the upcoming election in late July. Initial reports suggest the attacker may have ties to a new Islamist party that advocates for strict sharia law and the death penalty for blasphemy. The party, Tehreek-e-Labaik, denies any connection to the attacker, according to a local administrator's report seen by Reuters. "We do not have weapons. We are engaged in a nonviolent struggle. Those who are plotting against Tehreek-e-Labaik will not be successful." Khadim Hussain Rizvi, the leader of the party, denounced the attack on Iqbal and stated that Labaik is engaged in a peaceful struggle to establish the Prophet's religion. According to the police, Iqbal was shot in the right arm and the bullet entered his groin. The suspected shooter, identified as 21-year-old Abid Hussain, has not had any motive officially reported by the authorities. Minister of state Chaudhry stated that religious radicalism is a part of the suspect's background. He mentioned that other individuals have been detained and the police are looking into groups that may have influenced the attack. Chaudhry emphasized that radicalism is not an individual issue but rather a societal problem, as individuals are often influenced by others on an ideological level. Labaik, the group responsible for the attack, originated from a protest movement that supported Mumtaz Qadri, who killed the governor of Punjab in 2011 due to his stance on blasphemy laws. The movement caused major disruptions in the country's capital last year, protesting against changes to electoral laws. The attempted assassination of Iqbal has raised concerns about potential pre-election violence by Islamist groups similar to past incidents, such as the assassination of Benazir Bhutto during the 2007 elections.