President Asif Ali Zardari has expressed profound sadness over the shooting in Krakow, Poland, and condoled the loss of the lives lost in the attack.

In a post on X, the President extended his deepest condolences to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and the bereaved families on behalf of himself, the Government and the people of Pakistan. He prayed that the families enduring the loss find strength and solace, and that all those injured make a swift and complete recovery.

President Zardari reaffirmed Pakistan's solidarity with the government and people of Poland in what he described as an hour of mourning, as the country began two days of national mourning on Sunday.

The shooting took place on Saturday afternoon in Krakow's historic Main Market Square. Six people were killed and 17 others were wounded, including two police officers and the gunman, according to the authorities. The 24-year-old suspect was arrested after a shootout with police and remained in hospital in a critical condition.

Police later found the bodies of three people, a 53-year-old man and two women aged 52 and 21, at the suspect's home in Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski, about 200 kilometres north of Krakow. Investigations were continuing.

Polish President Karol Nawrocki declared national mourning for 8 and 9 November. Flags were lowered to half-mast, the old town's main square and surrounding streets remained closed, and the traditional trumpet call from St Mary's church on the square was suspended for 12 hours to commemorate the dead, the first time this has happened since 1939, according to the state news agency PAP.

One British citizen was among those killed, and foreign nationals were among the injured. Prime Minister Tusk praised the two wounded officers, Senior Constable Jakub Kulik and Senior Constable Artur Moranski, saying they likely saved many lives. Leaders from the United Kingdom, the European Union, the United States and Ukraine were among those who condemned the attack and expressed condolences.

Pakistan's message adds to the international expressions of sympathy for Poland as the country mourns one of the deadliest shootings in its recent history, an attack that has shaken a country long regarded as safer than many of its western European neighbours.

Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski said preliminary findings pointed to a far-right motive for the attack, and police said the gunman had driven onto the square before opening fire. A British citizen was among the six people killed in the square, and foreign nationals from Austria, Germany, Portugal, Russia and Britain were among the injured, according to the Polish interior ministry. The attack has prompted Poland to strengthen security in busy public areas, with police in Warsaw installing barriers on streets leading to the historic centre.