SC to indict Nehal Hashmi on July 10
During the hearing, SC expressed displeasure over Nehal Hashmi's absence from the hearing.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Supreme Court (SC) on Friday has decided to indict the beleaguered leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on July 10 in a suo moto case filed following his verbal onslaught against the judiciary and Panama JIT members.
During the hearing of the case, SC expressed displeasure over Nehal Hashmi’s absence from the hearing. The court rejected plea to halt military action against Hashmi and termed his behaviour ‘inappropriate’.
Nehal Hashmi’s lawyer Advocate Hashmat Habib told court that his client has departed to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah and a reply has been submitted on his behalf. Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed expressed displeasure and remarked that he should have sought court’s permission before going.
The lawyer told court that police tried to arrest Nehal Hashmi’s son whereas the military case is causing problems for his family.
The judge said that military trial has no relation with contempt of court. He warned Nehal Hashmi to be careful in future as the court is providing him respite from appearance only for the present day.
‘Threatening speech’
On May 28, Hashmi triggered a political storm by threatening the members of the joint investigation team (JIT) and Supreme Court judges of “dire consequences” after their retirement for probing Sharif family in connection with Panama Papers case.
However, the PML-N distanced itself from his outburst and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif sought his resignation from Senate seat and suspended his party membership.
All private TV channels kept running the video throughout the day which drew strong criticism from the social media users and opposition parties in particular.
Hashmi’s threatening speech drew instant reaction from the Supreme Court, with Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar taking suo motu notice and summoning the PML-N leader to appear in person before the implementation bench supervising the work of the Panama JIT.
Police also registered a case against the Senator over charges of using hostile language against the judiciary, public servants and disrupting judicial proceedings.
