Islamabad (Staff Report): The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday sentenced Senator Nehal Hashmi to one month in prison and barred him from holding public office for the next five years.
The three-member bench headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and comprising Justices Dost Mohammad and Maqbool Baqar gave the decision today in a 2-1 order with Justice Dost abstaining. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the senator.
Hashmi was taken into custody by police officials present in court following the order and transported to jail.
The bench dismissed an unconditional apology, which Hashmi had submitted to the court on January 24 for his threatening video message against "those investigating" former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family in Panama case.
In a 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.
“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.
