Archive of Maldives' parliament speaker injured in blast

Maldives' first democratically elected president and current Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed was injured in a blast on Thursday near his home and was being treated in a hospital in the capital, police said.

The police media unit text message did not give more details but said it has started investigations and urged the public to refrain from going to the blast area in the capital, Male.

Maldives Home Minister Imran Abdulla told a local television that Nasheed's injuries were not life-threatening and that the government will get the assistance of foreign agencies in the investigations.

Nasheed, now 53, became the first democratically elected leader of the archipelago state after a 30-year autocratic rule.

He served as president from 2008 until 2012 when he resigned amid public protests.

He was defeated in the following presidential election and became ineligible to enter the 2018 election due to a prison sentence.

His party colleague Ibrahim Mohamed Solih won the 2018 presidential election.

In 2019, Nasheed was elected Parliament speaker and he has remained an influential political figure in the country.