Pak man who hurled shoe at Sharif released on bail

A former seminary student who hurled a shoe at Pakistan's ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif last month has been released from prison on bail.

A judicial magistrate yesterday granted post-arrest bail to Munawar Hussain along with his two accomplices Abdul Ghafoor and Muhammad Sajid subject to furnishing surety bonds of worth Rs 100,000 each.

"The suspects were released from the Kot Lakhpat Jail today after they furnished surety bonds of worth Rs 100,000 each," a jail official said.

Several members of the Tahreek-e-Labaik party greeted them outside the jail and chanted slogans against the PML-N government for not punishing those involved in making changes to the law of finality of Prophet Mohammad.

The party is also known for widespread street power and massive protests in opposition to any change in Pakistan's controversial blasphemy law.

Yesterday, a counsel for the accused argued that their clients did not belong to any political party nor had any political motive.

He said their act was in reaction to the amendment to the 'Khatam-i-Nabuwat' (finality of Prophethood) law by the parliament. He asked the magistrate to release the suspects on bail as they were ready to submit surety bonds.

Police in Lahore's Qila Gujjar Singh area had registered a case against the suspects for assault and criminal intimidation.

Later the police also added the Anti-Terrorism Act in the FIR. However, an anti-terrorism court allowing a petition of the suspects ordered the police to delete the terrorism charge.

Hussain had hurled a shoe at Sharif, who resigned as prime minister last July after the Supreme Court disqualified him over alleged corruption, when he came to the dais to address a gathering here. The attacker then chanted "Labbaik Ya Rasoolallah".

The shoe hit Sharif's shoulder and ear. The co-suspects also tried to throw shoes but security personnel overpowered them. All three were former students of the Jamia Naeemia, a religious seminary in Lahore.

The incident had drawn widespread condemnation from all political and religious parties.

An identical reason was given by Faiz Rasool, who threw black ink on the face of Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif last month.