ISLAMABAD: A supporter of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) provoked and abused a dissident lawmaker of the PTI and three PPP leaders which resulted in a physical altercation between them at a hotel on Tuesday.

A police officer told Dawn on condition of anonymity that the incident took place in a packed hall of a hotel during Iftar time.

Dozens of families were also present in the hall when the PTI supporter provoked the politicians, the officer added.

Lawmakers Noor Alam Khan and Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar as well as PPP leaders Faisal Karim Kundi and Nadeem Afzal Chan were present at one of the tables, he said.

A man approached them and started abusing Noor Alam Khan and PPP leaders sitting on the table.

The politicians asked him to avoid using such words as a number of families, including women and children, were present there, the officer said.

The man moved back but continued abusing the lawmaker.

In response, a PPP leader came over to his table and again asked him not to use foul language, but the PTI supporter continued the tirade.

This led to exchange of harsh words between them and then a scuffle.

The hotel management and other guests intervened and separated the politicians and the PTI supporter. After getting information, the police also reached the spot.

Later, MNA Khan also lodged a complaint at the Secretariat police station against the PTI supporter.

In the complaint, Noor Alam Khan said he and his friends, including Sheikh Waqas Akram, were sitting at a table in the hall of the hotel when a man started abusing him and hurling threats of dire consequences.

However, they ignored him and started their Iftar.

But the man again used foul language and threatened him as well as his friends when they stood up for dinner.

When Mr Khokhar asked him to avoid using such language, he refused and attacked Mr Khan and Mr Khokhar, the complaint alleged, adding that the politicians stopped him in self-defence.

He said that some PTI supporters had also misbehaved with him at Marriott Hotel and sought legal action against the man and protection.

MNA Noor Alam Khan was not available for comments.

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2022