'I condemn all violence in politics': PM deplores attack on Trump

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday condemned the attack on former US president Donald Trump at an election rally.

"Just learnt that former President Trump was shot at an election rally. This is a shocking development. I condemn all violence in politics," the prime minister said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

"Wish the former President swift recovery and good health."

President Asif Ali Zardari also "strongly" condemned the attack on former US president in Pennsylvania.

Expressing shock over the attack, President Zardari said that such violence had no place in politics.

He expressed his best wishes for the speedy recovery of Trump and also offered heartfelt condolences over the loss of life in the attack.

The shooter's name, political leanings and motivation are not known.

In his statement, Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani condemned the attack, while terming it an unfortunate incident.

He said that political violence has no place in democratic societies. He also expressed his good wishes for the early recovery of the former president.

Trump was shot in the ear during a Saturday campaign rally, streaking the Republican presidential candidate's blood across his face and prompting his security agents to swarm him, before he emerged and pumped his fist in the air, mouthing the words "Fight! Fight! Fight!"

The shooter was dead, one rally attendee was killed and two other spectators were injured, the Secret Service said in a statement. The incident was being investigated as an assassination attempt, a source told Reuters.

Trump, 78, had just started his speech when the shots rang out. He grabbed his right ear with his right hand, then brought his hand down to look at it before dropping to his knees behind the podium before Secret Service agents swarmed and covered him.

He emerged about a minute later, his red "Make America Great Again" hat knocked off, and could be heard saying, "wait, wait," before the fist bump, then agents rushed him to a black SUV.

"I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear," Trump said later on his Truth Social platform following the shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, about 30 miles (50 km) north of Pittsburgh. "Much bleeding took place."

The Trump campaign said he was "doing well."

The shooting occurred less than four months before the November 5 election, when Trump faces an election rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden. Most opinion polls including those by Reuters/Ipsos show the two locked in a close contest.

Biden said in a statement: "There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it."

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— Additional input from Reuters