LAHORE: Taking lead from recent incidents of political mischief, a former seminary student hurled a shoe at former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, media reported.
The shoe was thrown at the former premier during an event at Jamia Naeemia seminary in Garhi Shahu here.
As the supreme leader of ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) took over the dais to deliver a speech, the shoe-thrower approached the stage and hurled the shoe at him, which hit Sharif on his chest.
Soon after the incident, the seminary administration detained the attacker before handing him over to the police.
According to police officials, the attacker was beaten up by a group of students and seminary staff after the incident and shifted to hospital for medical assistance.
They identified him as Talha Munawar, a former student of the seminary.
Sharif, however, delivered a brief speech after the incident.
The former premier said there is a dire need for cooperation among political, social and religious circles to make Pakistan a better place to live.
On the occasion, he called for collective efforts to achieve the destination of progress and prosperity of country.
Condemnation
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan condemned the incident and said these actions would set a wrong precedent, while talking to media.
Similar sentiments were expressed by Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
It was the third attack on PML-N leaders in recent months.
Back-to-back incidents
On Saturday night, ink was thrown at foreign minister Khawaja Asif while he was addressing the PML-N workers’ convention in Sialkot city of Punjab province.
Khawaja Asif, however, continued his speech and said that such “tactics” can’t harm his political career.
PML-N workers grabbed the man and handed him over to police.
In a similar incident last month, a man hurled his shoe at Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal while he was addressing a party workers’ convention in Narowal city of the province. The man was arrested but Iqbal asked police to release him without charge.
Later, the minister tweeted that the incident was just a “mischief by opponents” , adding that he also completed his speech and the event concluded without any interruption.
