Clerics attack Nawaz Sharif with shoes in Lahore madrasa

The Asian Age.  | Shafqat Ali

World, Asia

The attackers raised slogans in favour of Mumtaz Qadri, the killer of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, before fainting as the crowd jostled him.

Pakistani security personnel and organiser hold a student after he hurled a shoe at former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Lahore. (Photo: AFP)

Islamabad: Two Pakistani clerics on Sunday attacked former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif with shoes, one hitting him. The incident took place at Jamia Naeemia madrasa (religious seminary) in Lahore.

Mr Sharif had gone to the religious seminary to participate in a ceremony. When he reached the rostrum to address the gathering, two bearded men threw shoes at him and raised slogans.

The event caused immediate commotion in the hall as others attending the gathering grabbed hold of one man and started beating him.

The attackers raised slogans in favour of Mumtaz Qadri, the killer of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, before fainting as the crowd jostled him. The Punjab Police also arrested the other suspect.

On Saturday, a man was taken into police custody after he threw ink at foreign minister Khawaja Asif during his speech at the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) workers convention in Sialkot. Mr Asif, however, directed the concerned authorities to release the suspect, saying he did not have any personal enmity with him, adding that the man must have carried out the act on behest of someone in return for some money.

The man who threw ink on foreign minister Khawaja Asif said that his act was driven by PML-N attempt to amend the Khatm-e-Nabuwat (finality of the Prophethood) clause in the Elections Act 2017.

Meanwhile, police have released the local leader of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) Youth Wing in a case pertaining to hurling abuses at Pakistan People’s Party leader Asif Zardari on social media.

Sajjad Haleepoto was arrested by the police for misuse of social media under cybercrime law. According to police, he was freed on Sunday after assurances that he would not commit this act again.

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