Imran, Bilawal denounce ‘shoe attack’ on Nawaz as condemnations pour in

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari have denounced a 'shoe attack' on political rival Nawaz Sharif. 

A former seminary student had earlier hurled a shoe at the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) supremo as he arrived on the rostrum at during a visit to Jamia Naeemia seminary in Garhi Shahu. 

"This is against our moral values and I am glad that a PTI worker is not involved in this incident," Imran told the media in Faisalabad.  

"I want to tell both PTI workers and the public that throwing shoes or ink on people is not the right way [to protest]," said the PTI chief. 

Reacting to the incident, Bilawal said that the culture of lack of tolerance should not be promulgated. 

"It was a very unethical act," remarked the PPP chairman.  

Chief Minister of Sindh Murad Ali Shah also condemned the incident, calling the action 'extremely wrong.' 

"I wasn't aware of this incident before you told me," Shah said to the journalists, "but it is unethical to do this to anyone, be it a politician or a person who belongs to any other profession."

Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, in an exclusive conversation with Geo News, strongly condemned the attack. 

"We need to change our collective behaviours," she said. "Letting differences turn into hatred is a sin."

"Imran Khan has condemned the incident which is appreciable," the minister said, "but his violent rhetoric has affected the mindset of people." 

She said that it is now time to go a step ahead of condemning such incidents. 

Condemnations pour in on social media

Political leaders belonging to different parties took to social media to condemn the incident.  

Leader of Muttahida Quami Movement - Pakistan's (MQM-P) Bahadurabad faction Faisal Subzwari tweeted that such "regrettable acts' are likely to promote conflict and then, violence.