Assault on MNA: Teenager sent to jail on judicial remand

Tanoli attacked a legislator from Abbottabad during a public event

ABBOTTABAD:
The teenager who allegedly assaulted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MNA from Abbottabad Dr Azhar Khan Jadoon has been sent to Mansehra District Jail on judicial remand, the local police said on Friday.

Zainul Islam Tanoli, a native of Lassan Nawab Sahib village in Mansehra who lives in the Javed Shaheed Road area, slapped the MNA from NA-17 Abbottabad-I on Thursday at the launch ceremony of Sehat Ka Insaf cards in Hazara at Jalal Baba Auditorium.

Tanoli rushed on to the stage and repeatedly slapped the MNA, who was sitting with some ministers and MPAs. The MNA then fought back for a few seconds before his supporters in the audience also rushed on to the stage and began thrashing the boy. The teenager was dragged off bruised and with his shirt ripped up.

At this point, policemen deployed for security of guests sprang into action and took the accused to Cantonment Police Station. Before being taken to the police station, the accused told the media that his actions were in response to insults hurled at Lt Gen (retd) Ayaz Salim Rana by some relatives of Dr Jadoon.


He said that during a recent funeral, some young relatives of Dr Jadoon slapped the retired general at the behest of the MNA. He termed that incident an insult not just to the individual but to the whole army.

Meanwhile, Gen Rana, soon after the assault on the MNA, publicly condemned the act and pointedly said that whatever the attacker has done was of his own volition and he did not know who he was. He said the incident was a conspiracy for character assassination.

The MNA also denied having any links with the people who  attacked the former general, adding that he also condemned the act at the time it occurred. He said the initial incident was due to a family issue as the boys are related to both, the general and Jadoon.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 31st, 2016.
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