ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan has sentenced Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nehal Hashmi to one-month jail term in contempt of court case on Thursday.
The three-judge bench headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and consisting of Justice Dost Muhammad and Justice Maqbool Babar convicted Hashmi for contempt of court in a 2-1 split judgement. The apex court also ordered the PML-N leader to pay a fine of 50,000 rupees.
Following the court’s decision, Hashmi was taken into police custody and transferred to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, while he was also disqualified from holding any public office for 5 years.
On January 24, Hashmi had submitted an unconditional apology in the SC in a hearing pertaining to the case.
In the wake of SC’s decision, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry said that Hashmi did not target an individual, but an entire system and that it was necessary to punish him.
PTI leader Shireen Mazari also commended the SC for taking notice of the PML-N leader’s remarks and said that other party leaders including PML-N president Nawaz Sharif and member Maryam Nawaz should be dealt with the same way.
Hashmi threatens SC, JIT probing Nawaz Sharif case
On May 31 last year, Hashmi threatened “those investigating” Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his sons in the Panama Papers case, warning that they will be taken to task for the grilling.
In a video in which he appears to be addressing supporters, Hashmi warned: “Those who are scrutinising them, we will not spare you.” “You are making the life of the prime minister difficult. The Pakistani nation will make it difficult for you to live,” he added, referring to SC’s decision to oust Nawaz.
Following the former senator’s comments, the SC took a suo moto notice, while he was also sacked from party membership and was made to resign from Senate.
