Pakistan’s interior minister Ahsan Iqbal survived an assassination attempt on Sunday, officials said, an incident likely to heighten political tensions ahead of general elections expected in late July.

Junior interior minister Talal Chaudhry said Iqbal was hit by a bullet in his arm in the attack in his native Narowal district in central Punjab province.

Maik Ahmad Khan, a government spokesman, said Iqbal was out of danger, and that the attacker was arrested.