Prima facie Nehal Hashmi committed contempt of court: SC observes

By
Qamber Zaidi
|

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court asked Senator Nehal Hashmi’s witness why he did not submit transcript of the controversial speech that was run on a certain channel.

While hearing the contempt of court case against Hashmi on Monday, Justice Azmat Saeed told Hashmi’s witness, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority Director General Haji Adam, the material he had submitted was all irrelevant. The judge said the incomplete and unrelated material was given under a conspiracy.

To this Adam said he submitted the transcripts and compact discs of thespeech run on 26 channels. He added that whatever had been submitted with the court was given with honesty.

Earlier, Hashmi’s counsel Hashmat Habib asked the court on his client’s behalf for time to find a witness and submit a response to the charge sheet given to him in the contempt case pertaining to his speech.

Over this, Justice Ejaz Afzal asked if they case should be adjourned till 2030.

Hashmi’s counsel said they wanted to tell the court under what circumstances the speech was made.

Mentioning Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief in the proceeding, Habib asked the court the issue was caused by Imran Khan. When Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan asked what the PTI chief had to do with the case, Habib did not give a relevant response.

Hashmi’s counsel told the court the facts were twisted and then presented, while the registrar did not write anywhere that Hashmi threatened the judges. To this, Justice Ahsan said even if the registrar did not mention, the entire country knew what Hashmi said in his speech.

Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan observed that prima facie Nehal Hashmi had committed contempt of court. 

However, the court adjourned the hearing till August 21, granting time to Hashmi to find a witness until the next hearing and prepare a written reply.