PML-N leader Hashmi to be released on Saturday

Incarcerated Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) acting president Javed Hashmi will be released from Lahores Kot Lakhpat Jail on Saturday evening, as he failed to deposit his surety amount of Rs.50,000 on Friday in compliance with a Supreme Court order.

Lahore, Aug.3 : Incarcerated Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) acting president Javed Hashmi will be released from Lahore's Kot Lakhpat Jail on Saturday evening, as he failed to deposit his surety amount of Rs.50,000 on Friday in compliance with a Supreme Court order.

Hashmi was to be released today on bail.

Following a meeting with Javed Hashmi in the jail, PML-N Punjab President, Zulfiquar Khosa told reporters here that "Today being Friday, we couldn't deposit the surety bonds and Javed Hashmi's release was expected tomorrow at 4.00 P.M. in the evening."

He said that PML-N leaders and workers would gather outside the Kot Lakhpat Jail to greet Hashmi on his release from prison after four years.

He said that Hashmi would be taken in a big procession to the Muslin League House and later to the Data Darbar. He would also undertake a procession to Islamabad via GT Road to attend the National Assembly session.

Punjab Interior Secretary, Khusro Pervaiz Khan told Geo News that the Government of Punjab had issued directives for the release of Javed Hashmi, in compliance with the Supreme Court order for setting him free on bail.

Earlier, the Pakistan Supreme Court had ordered the release of Hashmi on payment of a bail amount of Rs.50000.

The apex court also declared the 2006 decision relating to the rejection of Javed Hasmi's bail petition as defunct.

Hashmi was arrested on October 29, 2003 and sentenced in different cases for a total of 19 years imprisonment.

The three-member Bench of the Supreme Court headed by the Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, and comprising of Justice Rana Bhagwan Das and Justice Faqir Muhammad ordered Hashmi's release, two days after rejecting a government request to postpone hearing of Hashmi case for a month.

Hashmi's lawyer said that the maximum sentence for his client was seven years, and in the light of jail manual the relaxations, Hashmir was entitled to be released.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said that the record showed that Hashmi had completed his punishment, and if the government wanted to keep him in jail, then the apex court needed to be told on what basis the government would like to keep him in jail.

The Court ordered that if the government wanted the hearing of Javed Hashmi case be put off for a long period, then it has to make some alternative arrangement for Javed Hashmi, as he has evidently completed his sentence.

Hailing the verdict of the Supreme Court, Muslim Leaque-N Chairman, Raja Zafarul Haque said, "We are thankful to the lawyers."

ANI