Some individuals, purportedly supporters and workers of the PML-N, threw eggs and ink at Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs (SAPM) Shahbaz Gill on Monday, ahead of his appearance at the Lahore High Court (LHC).

Speaking to reporters after the incident, Gill termed it "ghunda gardi" (thuggery), emphasising that he was "totally fine".

"They are throwing the ink of their own black actions," he said, vowing not to take revenge in the same way.

"We will not return 10 slaps in place of one. We will not curse in return for [their] curses."

The LHC had summoned Gill on a petition challenging a criminal case registered by the Islampura police on his complaint.

Tahir Mobeen and Turkish citizens Cemil Senocak and Yemen Yemenoglu had filed the petition.

The police registered the first information report on Jan 13 against the petitioners under sections 419, 420, 468, and 471 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). They contended that Gill used his political position to get the fabricated case registered against them.

A criminal complaint under defamation charge is also pending against Gill by M/s Platform Turizm Tasimacilik, a subsidiary of Al-Bayrak Group of companies. The company sought action against the special assistant under sections 499 and 500 of the PPC for levelling false allegations against it.

When Gill came to the court for today's hearing on the petition, workers allegedly belonging to the PML-N threw eggs and ink on him.

It appears, however, that Gill already knew of the PML-N workers plan. In a tweet before coming to the court, the SAPM had said that he came to know through some of his journalist friends that an "attack" had been planned on him.

"I am a soldier of Imran Khan. I will come to the court, will not be afraid of you. We believe in doing politics, [we] are not thugs like you," he had written on Twitter.

In a media talk later, Gill repeated his claims that he knew of the PML-N workers plan beforehand. "Three senior journalists told me that you will be attacked [so] don't come", he said, adding that he was also advised to get the case transferred to a court in Rawalpindi.

"I will not, I will fight the case from here," the SAPM said. I will never tell PTI workers to do the same kind of hooliganism with PML-N leaders, Gill added.

Meanwhile, other PTI leaders condemned the attack on SAPM Gill and criticised the PML-N for allegedly supporting the attack.

Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari claimed the "PML-N's hooliganism has always been part of their culture since their leaders were given birth in the lap of Zia dictatorship."

The "goons" in today's attack were "following the tradition of their leaders who attacked the Supreme Court", she said, attributing it to the opposition's failure in the recent Senate elections.

Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar too alleged that the attack was pre-planned.

"It is clearly evident that complete preparation was done for the attack on Shahbaz Gill [in the same way] that (PML-N leader) Javed Latif said each word in his anti-Pakistan statement after full preparation [and] authorisation from the party leadership."

Senator Faisal Javed called for the culprits to be held accountable, saying "[PML-N's] hooliganism will not be tolerated anymore".

This is not the first time that workers of the party have heckled the SAPM. During a hearing of the defamation case last month, PML-N workers hurled a volley of sloganeering against Gill and the PTI government when the special assistant came to the Lahore Judicial Complex.

The workers chanted slogans of "atta chor, cheeni chor" (thief of flour and sugar) to taunt the prime minister's special assistant. They chased Gill till he drove away from the complex.