Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Senator Nehal Hashmi, who was recently ousted from ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), on Tuesday accused Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan of taking his speech out of context and ‘misguiding’ the court.

Nehal Hashmi, in his 21-page reply to the contempt notice, contended before the apex court through his counsel Advocate Hashmat Habib that an out of context statement from his speech was posted on the social media to damage his reputation as well as career, adding that a deliberate campaign was being carried out against him by his political rivals.

The reply stated that the out-of-context statement was treated as commission of criminal offence, adding that no act of contempt had been committed by the senator who had already clarified that he was referring to politicians and not anyone else. “The entire record provided to the answering respondent (Nehal Hashmi) does not attract any penal action against his as no act of contempt appears out from this material,” it said. The former senator, while expressing his reservations, stated that despite the fact that the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) was appointed as prosecutor in this case, he acted as AGP and sent a letter to the prosecutor general, Government of Sindh, for registration of an FIR against him. “It is misuse of authority, causing miscarriage of justice. It is for this Hon Court to determine the conduct of the prosecutor as well as attorney general which amounts to make the respondent (Nehal) victim of double jeopardy on the one hand and on the other hand the prosecutor is acting as a party on the basis of the same material involving the answering respondent in case punishable under section 189, 288 and 505 PPC,” the reply stated. The reply contended that during the hearing of the case in court, a lot of PTI workers were present in order to attack him and some workers wearing black coats used abusive language and tried to scuffle with Nehal. “A deep conspiracy is being hatched against the respondent (Nehal Hashmi) in order to harm his reputation and career, and this act falls within the definitions of Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, and other penal laws of Pakistan,” it stated.

“It is necessary to maintain the authority, prestige, honour and dignity of the Superior Courts that everyone involved in lowering down it should be dealt with severely,” the reply stated, adding that in the instant case those who have in fact caused contempt of the authority have repeatedly issued statement which attracts action by the court. Nehal prayed the top court to vacate the show-cause notice against him along with directives for quashment of criminal case against him in Karachi. He further prayed for initiation of criminal proceedings against the actual culprits who distorted and doctored some pieces of his speech, posted those on social media and tried to misguide the top court.

Published in Daily Times, June 21st, 2017.