Pakistani journalist crushed to death by Imran Khan's truck

Lahore, Pakistan: A female journalist was crushed to death after the vehicle carrying former Prime Minister Imran Khan ran over her in the eastern Pakistan on Sunday.

Grief poured in over the death of Channel 5 reporter Sadaf Naeem who was praised for being "dynamic and hardworking".

The incident occurred as Khan's convoy was near the city of Gujranwala, 220 km from Islamabad, according to Reuters.

Condoling with the family of the deceased, Imran Khan halted the "long march" that he is leading to pressure the government into calling snap polls.

Khan started the convoy from Lahore to reach Islamabad on Friday for a show of his mass support.

Khan's Party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) cancelled all its programmes for Sunday.

One witness, Jouranlist Qazzafi Butt, told Reuters that 40-year-old Naeem lost her balance as she tried to climb onto Khan's truck for his sound bite.

The wheel of the truck ran over her head after she fell on the road, according to the journalist.

While calling Sadaf Naeem " dynamic and hardworking", Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he was "deeply saddened" by the reporter's death.

He further wrote in his tweet that he prays for the forgiveness of the deceased and patience for the family.

While expressing shock , Information Minister Maryyium Aurangzeb wondered how she was run over by the truck carrying Khan.

Punjab Chief Minister Pervez Elahi offered financial assistance worth Rs 25 lakh for her family, adding that the government would take care of her family.