Nehal’s diatribe: Opposition outraged at ‘threats to judiciary’

Imran says shameful threats part of PML-N culture

The opposition on Wednesday came down hard on PML-N leader Nehal Hashmi over his provocative speech in which he threatened those holding the Sharif family accountable with dire consequences.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan took to Twitter to criticise Hashmi’s statements. “Did the goons of Nawaz Sharif not attack the Supreme Court in the past? When they could not buy a chief justice, they attacked him. They carried briefcases to the judges in Quetta to purchase them.

“There are two telephone conversations there. [He] is telling Justice Qayyum what judgment he should give. Then Nawaz Sharif threatened NAB.

“Nehal Hashmi’s shameful threats to the superior judiciary & JIT [are] part of [the] PML-N [political] culture. They either buy people or try to scare them,” he said in a series of tweet.

Opposition leader Khursheed Shah said: “The opposition will take up the issue in the National Assembly on Thursday.”



“[We] will not allow the president to speak a word tomorrow in the house,” said the opposition leader. “Hurling threats at JIT members is beyond comprehension,” he said, adding, “Hooliganism will not be allowed.”

Talking to the media, Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Marriyum Aurangzeb said: “Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has zero tolerance for undignified rhetoric against constitutional institutions and taken action against Senator Nehal Hashmi for his statement which is not only inappropriate but also unfortunate.”

She said the government had invariably shown its commitment to across-the-board accountability and the prime minister himself wrote a letter to the Supreme Court for the formation of the judicial commission on the Panama Papers issue “which is manifestation of the fact that he has unflinching trust in the superior judiciary”.

Moreover, she said, the prime minister and his family members were fully cooperating in the investigation of the case as they believed in the supremacy of the law and the Constitution.

“Creation of misunderstanding among the institutions will not be in the national interest,” she added.

Responding to a question, she reiterated that every member of the Sharif family would appear before the joint investigation team if summoned.



Explaining the turn of events, the state minister said Hussain Nawaz had filed an application before the Supreme Court regarding his reservations about two members of the JIT as during the course of Tariq Shafi’s questioning, their attitude was not appropriate.

“The behaviour of Amer Aziz, a member of the JIT, was also not impartial,” she added.

Answering another question, she said no reaction was coming against the JIT, adding, Hussain Nawaz had said he would appear before the JIT whenever called.

About Hashmi’s statement, she said sometimes workers of the PML-N got carried away due to their emotional attachment with the party leadership. [With additional input from APP]