SC expressed resentment over submitting incomplete Nehal Hashmi's speech by AG, DG Pemra

ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court on Monday expressed resentment over being provided an incomplete record of Nehal Hashmi's incendiary speech by Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) Director General Haji Adam and Attorney General Ashtar Ausuf.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal, resumed hearing of the case in which former PML-N leader Nehal Hashmi has been accused of threatening Panama case joint investigation team (JIT), formed by the apex court to probe assets of Sharif family, during a speech.

The SC had served a show-cause notice to Hashmi for allegedly threatening the Judiciary on June 1.

DG Pemra, who appeared before the court as a witness from prosecution side, submitted recordings of Hashmi's speech and a transcript of the speech. The AG had also submitted the recordings in this regard.

After watching Pemra's video, the court observed that material did not contain the parts that amounts to contempt of court.

The court also expressed displeasure over the submission of an incomplete record and observed that both AG and DG Pemra tried to mislead the court.

The AG informed the court that no channel has aired complete speech, adding that different parts of the speech have been shown by the channels.

DG Pemra informed the bench that the Pemra takes notice of content that is showed on TV if there is any violation of the code of conduct.

To which, Justice Azmat Saeed remarked that DG Pemra will go to jail if he has submitted the incomplete record.

Justice Ijazul Ahsan remarked that prima facie Hashmi had committed contempt of court.

During the hearing, Hashmi's lawyer, Hashmat Habib, asked the court to grant him more time to submit another reply to the court regarding the speech. The court giving two weeks time to him adjourned the case until August 21.

Nehal Hashmi’s Outrageous Speech

Nehal Hashmi came into the limelight on Wednesday when a video surfaced in which he can be seen threatening judiciary in a veiled reference.

The video that went viral on the internet shows a disgruntled Senator Nehal warning rivals and ‘some honourable officials associated with top institutions’ of dire consequences if they continued their concerns with the accountability of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

“Whoever is asking for accountability will retire tomorrow and we will deal with them,” insinuated Hashmi in a veiled threat to the top judiciary currently probing the ruling Sharif family in the backdrop of Panama papers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2smsB8QVwA

“Those grilling… [be warned that] we will arrange the day of judgment for you.”

“You are making the life of the prime minister difficult. The Pakistani nation will make it difficult for you to live,” he added, without taking any names.