Apex court disqualifies Hashmi for five years

Pakistan’s Supreme Court has disqualified a lawmaker from the ruling party for five years after finding him guilty of threatening judges in a speech last year.

In yesterday’s decision, the court also sentenced Nehal Hashmi, of the Pakistan Muslim League, to one month in prison. He was also fined Rs50,000.

The decision came a day after Hashmi apologised over his May 2017 speech, in which he had threatened judges for ordering a corruption probe against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. In the speech, he said once the judges retire, “we will make your life and (the lives of) your family members miserable”.

Hashmi was arrested by police from the court premises after the verdict.