ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday announced its reserved verdict ina contempt case against Senator Nehal Hashmi.
Nehal Hashmi has been awarded one-month jail term and a fine of Rs50,000.
The three-judge bench, headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and comprisingJustice Dost Mohammad and Justice Maqbool Baqar, announced the decisiontoday.
The former PML-N stalwart was taken into custody from courtroom by policeofficials soon after the announcement of verdict to shift him to jail.
With the court decision, Hashmi has also been disqualified for five yearsto hold a public office after his conviction in the case.
The court had reserved its verdict on January 24 after the former PML-Nsenator submitted an unconditional apology for his threatening remarksagainst those investigating former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and hisfamily.
Hashmi had apparently threatened the Supreme Court’s appointed JointInvestigation Team (JIT) members for interrogating Nawaz Sharif and hisfamily members pertaining to their foreign properties.
The video of threatening speech at an event in Karachi went viral on socialmedia and eventually drew instant reaction from the Supreme Court on May28, 2017 after Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar took suomotu notice of the incident and summoned the former PML-N Karachi chapterleader to appear before the court.
Hashmi’s apology
At the last hearing on January 24, the three-judge bench censured Hashmifor the wordings of his apology submitted to the top court.
“I apologise! If the court deems my remarks as committing contempt,” hestated in his reply to the court.
To which, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa inquired about use of ‘if’ in hisapology.
Hashmi’s counsel then made an unconditional apology on behalf of his client.
The bench ruled that all institutions should be respected particularly whenworking according to the constitution.
“The institutions should not be undermined,” Justice Dost Mohammad had thenasserted.
The court then reserved its verdict in the case, which was announcedearlier today.
Expulsion from party
Earlier, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif had issued orders for the expulsion ofPML-N Senator Nehal Hashmi from the party over violation of the partydiscipline.
A five-member disciplinary committee in its report recommended the primeminister to take action against Hashmi. Raja Zafar ul Haq – head of thecommittee – found Hashmi violated the party’s code of conduct and reportedthe premier for action against him.
The committee report also concluded that Hashmi’s speech was reckless.
Acting on the committee’s recommendation, the prime minister expelledHashmi from the party.
In the video, Hashmi was seen warning opponents and officials of stateinstitutions’ of dire consequences over conducting an investigation in linewith the Supreme Court’s Panamagate verdict.
“…Currently you are on service, but tomorrow you will retire and we willmake your life miserable,” Hashmi was heard in a video addressing workersat a party event.
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