Pak UK High Commission anticipated 'mischief' at Zardari 'shoegate' rally

Islamabad, Aug 12(ANI): A Pakistani official has said that the country's High Commission in the United Kingdom had anticipated that miscreants would do something mischievous during President Asif Ali Zardari's community appearance in Birmingham last week.

A source in the Foreign Office said that it was because of this apprehension that the organisers had been advised to bar private media teams and disallow mobile phones inside the hall.

He claimed that the high commission had prior information about such plans, and had advised organisers to reserve the first four rows for high-profile personalities and erected a 'fencing barricade' some 30 feet away from the stage where the President was sitting, The Dawn reports.

An unidentified middle-aged man had reportedly hurled his pair of shoes one after another at Zardari during the event at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham.

The shoes missed Zardari and landed close to him.

The shoe-thrower, who has not been identified so far, was arrested and rushed outside the hall by security personnel, but was released later.

However, the President's spokesman, Farhatullah Babar, insisted that no shoe-throwing incident took place in Birmingham, and challenged the media and those present at the gathering to come out with evidence to prove their assertion

"I have not seen anyone throwing anything at the president," Babar said. (ANI)