‘I THANKED THE ALMIGHTY’

Pakistani Ex-Prime Minister Says He’s ‘Lucky to Be Alive’ After Assassination Attempt

The former leader was shot three times during a protest march earlier this month.

Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan says he considers himself “so very lucky to be alive” after he was targeted by an assassination attempt earlier this month. The ex-leader, who was ousted from office in April after losing a confidence vote, was shot three times in the leg while giving a speech at an anti-government protest march in the eastern city of Wazirabad on Nov. 3—a member of his party was killed and eight others were injured in the attack. “I thanked the Almighty that I was saved,” Khan, 70, told the Times. “I shouldn’t have really survived that.” Local scrap dealer Muhammad Naveed has allegedly confessed to carrying out the attack, claiming to have acted alone. Khan has blamed incumbent prime minister Shehbaz Sharif for orchestrating the assassination attempt. The government has denied the accusation.