FAISALABAD: A man was beaten up and consequently handed over to police after attempting to fling a shoe at Pakistan Tehreeke-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan as he was getting into his vehicle for a political rally he addressed in Faisalabad on Sunday.
According to a video on a local news website, the suspect was caught by the party workers and Khan’s security staff as he allegedly attempted to open door of the PTI chief’s vehicle. He was handed over to police before being beaten up badly.
The suspect, after an initial interrogation, claimed that he was sent by Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah’s son-in-law, Sheharyar. He identified himself as Mirza Ramzan, a resident of Hajiabad area of Faisalabad.
According to police, the suspect admitted that Sanaullah’s son-in-law directed him to throw a shoe at the PTI chief. The further action would only be taken after a written application by the PTI, they added.
The incident took place hours after shoes were thrown at former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Lahore’s Jamia Naeemia Islamic seminary.
Two men lobbed shoes at Sharif but one hit him while he was about to begin addressing a religious seminar taking place at the madrassa earlier today.
One of the accused chanted slogans praising Mumtaz Qadri, the murderer of former Punjab governor Salman Taseer.
The incident drew strong condemnation from all prominent politicians of the country, who expressed their severe disapproval of the whole episode.
Both incidents happened a day after Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif came under an ‘ink attack’ in Sialkot.