GUJRANWALA, Aug 15: A PPP MPA, along with his gunman, was shot at and injured on Monday allegedly by his rivals over an election row, while police booked seven people, including a nazim hopeful.

Reports said MPA Shakeelur Rehman was returning home after attending an election meeting by his car when some assailants opened fire near Honsan locality.

The MPA and his gunman were injured and rushed to the DHQ hospital, where the condition of gunman Maulvi Muhammad Akhter was stated to be serious. He was shifted to the Mayo Hospital, Lahore. Meanwhile, the MPA, who was declared out of danger by the doctors, was discharged from the hospital.

Baghbanpura police have registered the case against seven alleged assailants, including Ikram Butt a nazim candidate on the report of the MPA’s brother. The police was conducting raids at the residences of the accused, but no arrest was made yet.

Meanwhile, PPP Punjab President Qasim Zia has alleged that the attack on the party MPA has proved that the ruling party was involved in ‘pre-poll rigging’ and harassing its opponents.

At a news conference here on Monday, Mr Zia said the attack showed that the rulers had gone desperate because of the unopposed election of about half-a-dozen ARD panels in the local polls.