Islamabad (Staff Report): The Supreme Court has expressed displeasure over submission of an incomplete transcript of Senator Nehal Hashmi’s hate speech against higher judiciary and members of the Panamagate Joint Investigation Team (JIT) by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) director general.
A three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan resumed the hearing of the case on Monday.
During the proceeding of the case, the judge observed that the transcript submitted in the court by PEMRA DG Haji Adam was different from the one telecast by private TV channels. Adam had attempted to mislead the court by providing an incomplete record of Hashmi's speech, the court remarked.
The SC had issued Hashmi a show-cause notice for maligning the judiciary on June 1.
Earlier in the day, Adam had submitted CD recordings of Hashmi's speech to the court, along with a transcript of the speech and a list of all the TV channels that aired it the day it was delivered. The recordings were played in the courtroom during the hearing.
The top court ordered the former Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader to present defence witnesses on August 21 in the case. The SC bench also rejected a plea by Hashmat Habib, the lawmaker’s counsel, for grant of further respite to submit additional arguments in the case.