SC issues another contempt of court notice to Nehal Hashmi
PML-N leader has already been disqualified for five years and faced month in prison in contempt case
March 07, 2018
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nehal Hashmi was issued on Wednesday another contempt of court notice by the Supreme Court.
Hashmi, a former senator, was jailed for a month and disqualified for five years by the apex court on Feb 1 over his contemptuous remarks made last year.
Hashmi appeared in court today after being summoned by the chief justice a day earlier over his controversial remarks about the judiciary following his release from prison last month.
During the hearing today, a video of Hashmi's post-prison-release media talk was played. In response, Hashmi claimed that he was "acting", to which Justice Umar Ata Bandiyal asked if the lawyer and politician was an actor.
Hashmi also swore in court that he could never say these things about the judiciary. When the video was played again, Hashmi said he was ashamed, to which the chief justice agreed, observing that he too is ashamed of issuing contempt notices to his "blackcoat brother".
When Hashmi pleaded not to be served another contempt notice as "he is from a middle-class family," the chief justice remarked that he was given a chance before.
The next hearing of the case will be held on Monday, when Hashmi has been summoned.
The court also issued notices to vice-chairmen of all the bar councils to submit their response to the court's plan to cancel Hashmi's licence to practice law. Moreover, during the hearing, Pakistan Bar Council Vice-Chairman Kamran Murtaza excused himself from representing Hashmi in the case.
Hashmi had been summoned today after a chief justice-led three-member bench took up his plea on Tuesday against his disqualification.
Hearing the case on Tuesday, Chief Justice Nisar had termed regrettable the remarks uttered by Hashmi for judges following his release from Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi, on February 28.
The chief justice also observed during the hearing that Hashmi's punishment term could also be extended over his controversial remarks.
A visibly charged Hashmi had said he had been made a victim of revenge for standing by PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif.
In May last year during the height of the Panama Papers case against Nawaz, Hashmi, in a speech in Karachi, had threatened the 'enemies of the prime minister'.
