ABBOTTABAD: A teenager attacked Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MNA Dr Azhar Jadoon in the presence of two provincial ministers and an adviser to the KP chief minister during a ceremony arranged for distribution of Sehat Insaf Cards at Jalal Baba Auditorium here on Thursday.

DSP Qamar Hayat, who was on duty at the venue, said that the attacker, Zainul Islam, had been arrested and booked under Section 506 and 511 of the PPC. He said that Mr Jadoon was sitting on stage along with health minister Shahram Tarakai, food minister Qalandar Khan Lodhi and CM’s adviser Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani when Zain went to the stage and started punching and slapping him (Jadoon).

The police immediately arrested the accused, who also received punches from the PTI supporters.

The DSP said that a few days ago unidentified persons had manhandled retired Lt-Gen Ayaz Rana in Nawansher when he went there to attend a funeral. He quoted the attacker as shouting that he (the retired army officer) was manhandled at Jadoon’s behest.

Talking to mediapersons after the incident, Mr Jadoon said that he was not involved in any such activity as alleged by the attacker. He said that he did not know the persons who had manhandled Ayaz Rana.

Meanwhile, Mr Ghani, Mr Tarakai, Mr Lodhi, MPA Mohammad Idrees and PTI leader Zar Gul Khan condemned the incident and termed it an attack on the provincial cabinet and parliament.

They said that the issue would be taken up with the chief minister on his return from China. They said that the accused would be proceeded against under the relevant laws.

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2016