IMRAN KHAN, the former Pakistan prime minister, was shot and wounded today in what appears to be an assassination attempt.

Mr Khan, who was shot in the foot, was travelling in the Wazirabad district in the eastern Punjab province.

Reportedly a number of supporters of Mr Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf party were also wounded in the attack.

A little while after the incident Mr Khan was seen with a bandage on his foot as he continued his journey.

A party aide told reporters: “A man opened fire with an automatic weapon. Several people are wounded. Imran Khan is also injured.”

The identity of the gunman, who was arrested at the scene, was not immediately known. 

No group has claimed responsibility for the shooting.

The former premier was part of a large convoy of trucks and cars with thousands of supporters heading towards the capital, Islamabad to try to force the government to hold early national elections.

Mr Khan was ousted from the premiership after a no-confidence vote in Parliament in April.

He claims that his successor Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif was part of a United States plot to remove him from power.

Mr Sharif and the US deny the accusations.