LAHORE – Former Pakistan leader Imran Khan is undergoing surgery to remove bullet fragments after he was shot in the leg at a rally in eastern Punjab province.

The head of the hospital he was admitted to said Mr Khan’s leg is fractured, but he is in stable condition.

A spokesman for Mr Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party initially said there were two shooters at the scene.

Local TV stations are broadcasting the alleged confession made by one of the attackers to the police. In the confession, the unidentified man said he tried to assassinate Mr Khan because the former premier was misguiding people.

Pakistan television stations are reporting that at least seven to eights bullets were fired at Mr Khan’s convoy by the suspected assailant before he was overpowered by supporters. 

At least one bystander was killed in the gunfire, according to the police.

Mr Khan was leading a march towards the capital Islamabad to demand early elections when he was shot.

His supporters have taken to the streets across the country, in so far largely peaceful protests, news reports said. They are marching in Islamabad and financial hub Karachi.

Mr Khan’s party leaders are urging that the march continue. 

Pakistan’s Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb has asked the local administration to secure the attack site to preserve evidence and carry out a detailed investigation into the incident. Police have recovered a 9mm pistol and two empty bullet magazines from the shooter, said Mr Muhammad Nadeem, the police officer in charge of security for Mr Khan’s rally. 

Pakistan’s powerful military condemned the shooting incident and offered prayers for Mr Khan’s swift recovery.

Mr Khan’s leading political rivals, including former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, also condemned the attack.

The “assassination attempt on Imran Khan is an attack on Pakistan”, tweeted Mr Farrukh Habib, a senior member of PTI. BLOOMBERG