Man hurls shoe at Ahsan Iqbal in Narowal

Police take the alleged attacker into custody

In an unusual occurrence, a man lobbed a shoe on Saturday at Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal while he was addressing a workers' convention in Narowal.

Media reports suggest that the man, identified as Bilal Haris, tried to get closer to the minister as soon as he arrived on the stage in Aliabad to address Pakistan Muslim-League-Nawaz (PML-N) supporters.

He then hurled a shoe at Iqbal, which reportedly 'touched his arm'. The party's workers soon got hold of the man and handed him over to police.

According to a private news channel, the minister had to leave his speech incomplete and came down from the stage. Police are investigating the case to determine the reason behind the man's act.

However, reacting to the reports, Ahsan Iqbal said, "It was a 3rd degree cheap PTI [Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf] tactic."

"Nothing happened neither touched me nor interrupted my speech," the minister said. "However PTI [was] exposed, condemned by people."

It was a 3rd degree cheap PTI tactic. Nothing happened neither touched me nor interrupted my speech.However PTI exposed,condemned by people. https://t.co/kEpTqintWq

— Ahsan Iqbal (@betterpakistan) February 24, 2018

Earlier this month, infuriated members of Mehsud tribe who were staging a sit-in in front of the National Press Club for the arrest of former SSP Malir Rao Anwar, hurled shoes and bottles at a PPP delegation.

The enraged protesters also raised slogans against the political leaders, but the tribal leaders intervened and resolved the matter.