Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nehal Hashmi apologised to Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on Tuesday as a three-member bench resumed hearing in the contempt of court case against him.

The apology came after representatives and leaders of bar associations pleaded the Supreme Court to show kindness and forgive Hashmi, the disqualified senator who is also a member of the bar.

In his apology, Hashmi said he accepts what the bar leaders have said and asked for forgiveness and mercy from the court. “I will never say anything regarding you [chief justice] anywhere,” he assured the Supreme Court.

A day earlier, the court had summoned bar representatives to give their input on how to proceed with the matter of cancelling Hashmi’s licence to practice law after being served a second contempt notice for abusing judges following his release from the jail.

As proceedings began on Tuesday, lawyer leader Rasheed A Rizvi requested the court to briefly adjourn the hearing as several lawyer leaders are present and will consult and inform the court of their opinion on how to proceed with the case.

Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Pir Khurshid Kaleem was also present in court. On seeing him, the chief justice remarked, “You are the pir [spiritual leader] of your area and ours as well.”

The hearing was then adjourned until 1pm.

As proceedings resumed, the bar leaders condemned Hashmi’s contemptuous statement and asked the court to show magnanimity. “We are thankful to the court for taking our input,” said the SCBA president.

Pakistan Bar Council Vice Chairman Kamran Murtaza, who withdrew his representation from defending Hashmi earlier, said had these words been used for someone else he still would not have defended them.

During the hearing, Rizvi informed the court that Hashmi’s licence to practice law has already been cancelled for three months by the Sindh Bar Council.

The court decided to drop contempt proceedings against Nehal Hashmi and directed him to submit a written apology. However, the CJP said that discharging contempt case against Hashmi isn’t a ‘license’ for others to utter unwarranted and disrespectful remarks against the courts.

Hashmi was jailed for a month and disqualified for five years by the apex court on February 1 over his contemptuous remarks made last year. Later, the former senator landed himself in hot water again as the court took notice of his controversial media talk after his release from Adiala Jail.

Published in Daily Times, March 28^th 2018.