*ISLAMABAD:* Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday has hinted atindirect role of agencies behind the Ahsan Iqbal firing case.

He condemned the attack on Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal and said it is amatter of concern that the situation has escalated to such an extent.

While speaking to the media outside the accountability court conductingcorruption proceedings against the former premier, he said, “An attack onthe country’s interior minister is not an ordinary issue. I’m extremelyconcerned that the issue has reached to such an extent.” Referring to theearlier payment of Rs1,000 to Tehreek-e-Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLYR)protesters after the Faizabad sit-in, Nawaz questioned the reasoning behindthe payment and said, “This is what happens when Rs1,000 are distributedamong such people”.

Punjab Rangers Director General (DG) Azhar Naveed Hayat Khan haddistributed envelopes containing Rs1,000 to the Faizabad protesters.

Responding to a question regarding possibilities of a poll delay followinga failed assassination attempt on Ahsan Iqbal, he said they will not letgeneral elections be delayed in the country at any cost.

While referring to the Supreme Court’s order calling back police personnelfrom security duties of non-essential personnel, he wondered where theminister’s security was at the time of the incident.