PML-N Senator Nehal Hashmi resigns after threatening ‘those investigating’ Sharif family
ISLAMABAD: PML-N Senator Nehal Hashmi resigned from Senate hours after a video surfaced on Wednesday showing him hurling threats at “those investigating” Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s family.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar also took suo motu notice of Hashmi’s remarks and summoned him in person on Thursday to appear before the bench implementing its Panama Papers verdict, media reports said.
“We are the workers of Nawaz Sharif… We will make an example of those who hold us accountable,” Hashmi had said in a video, which has gone viral on social media. “We will not spare those who have held us accountable and who are making us accountable,” he continued.
Threatening public servants, the PML-N lawmaker went on to say: “You are on duty today but tomorrow you will retire… We will [then] make life miserable for your family in Pakistan.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif revoked political party’s membership of Senator Nehal Hashmi following his speech to a gathering entailing threats to those investigating the Prime Minister and his family.
The premier served a show-cause notice to Hashmi and according to State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb; the PM sought a senatorial resignation from him.
Talking to state run media, she said, “Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif strongly believes in the accountability. The remarks of Nehal Hashmi are his personal opinion. The PML-N government and Sharif family have nothing to do with his comments.”
She said, “The Prime Minister himself had written a letter to the Supreme Court, requesting to constitute a Joint Investigation Team (JIT). The Sharif family has shown immense cooperation at every stage.”
Hashmi’s aggressive speech surfaced after Hussain Nawaz, the premier’s son was summoned by the JIT for two consecutive days. Nawaz had left the JIT headquarters on Tuesday after spending at least 05:30 hours during which he recorded statement over family’s assets and answered committee’s questions over alleged stashed wealth. Agencies