LAHORE: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has called on the government to launch a probe into an assassination attempt on Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal.

The interior minister was shot and injured in a gun attack during a visit to his constituency in his native Narowal last Sunday.

A 21-year-old man, who identified himself as Abid Hussian, was arrested along with the firearm. The suspect, a member of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, confessed to involvement in the shooting in his police statement.

Bilawal visited the interior minister at Lahore's Services Hospital earlier today, where Ahsan Iqbal is recovering from his gunshot wounds.

Speaking to the media outside the hospital, Bilawal condemned the attack and called for a detailed probe into the assassination bid.

"Incidents such as [the attack on Ahsan Iqbal] should not happen. Be it government or opposition, we all need to unite against politics of hate so that we can fight extremism," said Bilawal.

"We have to have zero tolerance for hate politics -- that is the only way we can fight extremism."

He also condemned the release of "terrorists" arrested over their involvement in assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

"We submitted a request when the five terrorists were acquitted," Bilawal said. "Even DNA tests carried out at a laboratory abroad proved their involvement in the assassination, despite that bail was granted."

The PPP leader said such a move did not send a positive message across.