Penalising Nehal Hashmi bad precedent: Sanaullah

LAHORE: Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said by penalising Nehal Hashmi despite his unconditional apology, the Supreme Court has set a bad precedent. Talking to media Thursday outside the Punjab Assembly, the minister said, “traditionally, whoever asks for an unconditional apology is forgiven”.

He recalled instances from the past when the apex court forgave individuals for contempt of court after they sought an unconditional apology. “Take Babar Awan’s example. He had openly ridiculed the judiciary but was forgiven after he sought an unconditional apology”. Nehal Hashmi also tendered an unconditional apology, but he wasn’t forgiven (by the judges),” the minister rued.

“Nehal Hashmi’s unconditional apology should have been accepted,” he opined. The apex court ordered a one-month imprisonment sentence and Rs50,000 fine as it rejected Hashmi’s appeal for pardon, earlier Thursday. The apex court also ruled that Hashmi stands disqualified from holding public office for a period of five years according to Article 63(1) (g) of the Constitution.

Sanaullah once again clarified that criticising decision of a court is the democratic right of an individual and it does not equate to maligning and disrespecting the institution of judiciary. “Nawaz Sharif accepted the Supreme Court’s verdict and stepped down. If he hadn’t accepted the decision, then it would have been contempt of court. But simply criticising the verdict is not (contempt of court)”.

World over the right to criticise a decision of the judiciary is considered basic freedom of expression, he added. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan, meanwhile, said he wants to congratulate the Supreme Court for moving against PML-N Senator Nehal Hashmi on his abuse and threats to senior judiciary and their families. “I can assure them the whole nation stands with the SC and they should not be weighed down by the contemptuous & abusive behaviour of Sharifs & their darbaris,” he said in tweets.

Imran wrote, “we are petitioning SC for an early hearing of the case against Khawaja Asif as he is a grave security risk in the sensitive office he holds. He has a foreign domicile, works for a foreign concern, receives salary from abroad & has foreign bank accounts - all of which he did not declare”.

Meanwhile Dr Yasmin Rashid of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf tweeted: "All those who have looted, threatened, abusee and sought to use the state and its institutions against the interest of Pakistan must and will face the consequences.#NehalHashmi is just the start."