- Naveed Ahmad convicted for attempted assassination and murder during 2022 rally attack
- Attack occurred during Khan's protest march against parliamentary ouster
- Former PM currently imprisoned on unrelated corruption charges
- Case highlights escalating political violence in South Asia
The Lahore High Court delivered a landmark verdict Saturday, sentencing Naveed Ahmad to life imprisonment for his role in the November 2022 attack on former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The shooting occurred as Khan led a protest caravan through Wazirabad, Punjab province, demanding early elections following his controversial removal from office seven months prior. Forensic reports indicate Ahmad fired 14 rounds from a modified pistol before being subdued by Khan's security detail.
Legal analysts note this conviction marks Pakistan's first successful prosecution of a political assassination attempt since Benazir Bhutto's 2007 murder. The verdict comes amid heightened tensions between Khan's PTI party and current military leadership, with human rights groups documenting 3,200 political arrests since April 2023. Ahmad's defense team plans to appeal, claiming procedural irregularities in evidence collection.
Khan's concurrent imprisonment on separate charges continues to draw international scrutiny. The former cricket star faces 34 years cumulative sentencing across three cases involving alleged state secret leaks and marital law violations. Supporters argue these prosecutions constitute political retaliation, citing similar patterns in Myanmar and Bangladesh where ousted leaders face legal challenges.
The Wazirabad attack exposed critical security lapses in VIP protection protocols. A government inquiry revealed the assailant penetrated three security cordons before opening fire, prompting nationwide reforms to political rally security measures. Comparative analysis shows Pakistan's assassination attempt rate against public figures (2.1 per decade) exceeds India's 1.4 and Bangladesh's 1.8 since 2000.