Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Sunday that he was deeply shocked by a shooting incident at the annual White House correspondents’ dinner in Washington, adding that he was relieved to know US President Donald Trump, his wife and other attendees remained safe during the episode.
Trump was rushed out of the Washington Hilton hotel on Saturday evening after gunshots were heard outside the ballroom where the president and his wife were seated before the start of the annual media gala. The US president later took to his Truth Social account to post that he, the first lady and other cabinet officials remained unhurt and that a shooter had been “apprehended.”
Speaking to the media after the incident, Trump said a man had charged a security checkpoint, armed with multiple weapons, and was “taken down” by the US Secret Service. He said one Secret Service officer had been shot but his life was saved by a bulletproof jacket.
“Deeply shocked by the disturbing shooting incident at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington, D.C., a short while ago,” Sharif wrote on social media platform X.
The Pakistani prime minister said he was “relieved” to find out that Trump, his wife and other attendees of the event were safe.
“My thoughts and prayers are with him, and I wish him continued safety and well-being,” he added.
Separately, President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the shooting in a statement. He described it as a "heinous act of terrorism."
The US president said he was under the impression that the shooter had acted alone, describing it as a “lone wolf whack job.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) confirmed that a suspect was in custody but did not disclose his identity.
Pakistan’s government has formed a close bond with Trump and his administration during his second term in office. It is due to Pakistan’s cordial ties with Trump that it has been able to position itself as a key mediator between Iran and the US, as tensions between the two have persisted since February.
