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 was leaving 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 “high spirits”. The assassination attempt was condemned by leaders from Pakistan's main opposition parties, 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 the backdrop for the attack. "We strongly denounce it. However, Nawaz's unfounded accusations against his rivals are negatively impacting the political atmosphere and stirring up tension and anger," 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 disqualified Sharif as prime minister due to a minor instance of undisclosed income, and he is currently facing trial in an anti-corruption court, despite his party still having majority control in parliament. Sharif has criticized the court's decision as a plot orchestrated by his opponent Khan, frequently rallying his supporters to express his grievances. Sharif has depicted Khan as a tool of the influential military establishment, which has a history of 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 concerns leading up to the upcoming election in late July. Initial reports indicate the attacker may have ties to a new Islamist political party that advocates for the death penalty for blasphemy and strict sharia law. The Islamists have denied any connection to the attacker, according to a local administrator's report seen by Reuters. "We do not have weapons. Our fight is nonviolent. Those who are plotting against Tehreek-e-Labaik will not prevail." Khadim Hussain Rizvi, the leader of the party, spoke out against the attack on Iqbal, stating that Labaik is engaged in a peaceful struggle to establish the Prophet's religion. According to 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 declared by authorities. Minister of state Chaudhry stated that there is a history of religious radicalism in the background of the individual responsible for the attack, and that others have also been arrested as police investigate groups that may have influenced the attack. He emphasized that radicalism is not just an individual issue, but a social problem that is perpetuated by others. The Labaik movement originated from a protest in support of Mumtaz Qadri, who assassinated the governor of Punjab in 2011 for advocating to relax Pakistan's blasphemy laws. The movement caused significant disruptions, including shutting down the country's capital for three weeks over changes to electoral laws that it deemed blasphemous. The recent assassination attempt on Iqbal has raised concerns about potential violence by Islamists leading up to the next election, similar to past instances such as the assassination of Benazir Bhutto in 2007.