EMBARRASSED SNP managers moved quickly last night to suspend one of their councillors who was filmed firing a Kalashnikov assault rifle at a military camp in Pakistan.
Jahangir Hanif, a councillor in Glasgow, took five of his six children into the mountainous border region of Kashmir two years ago to shoot the AK-47.
He then let his children fire the assault rifle.
A video of the incident emerged yesterday,
and as soon as it did, the SNP's leadership suspended the 46-year-old councillor. He is currently in Pakistan and will face a disciplinary hearing on his return. If he cannot provide a plausible explanation for his actions he will be expelled from the party.
Mr Hanif's daughter, Noor, said: "We were taken in a van with blacked-out windows. We were shown how to use the gun. We all shot the gun."
Stuart Crawford, a former senior army officer and military expert, said it was not uncommon for the Pakistani authorities to invite guests to shoot Kalashnikovs in that area, adding he had been taken there himself to do exactly that. He added: "It's like the Wild West out there. Everybody has a gun."
Mr Crawford stressed that there were all sorts of military units in the area and it was wrong to think all training camps were run by the Taleban or al-Qaeda.
Last night, Bill Aitken, the Scottish Tories' justice spokesman, said the SNP should expel Mr Hanif from the party.
Mr Aitken has written to Alex Salmond, the First Minster, to demand he take action against Mr Hanif, whose behaviour he described as "appalling". He said: "At a time when every right-thinking politician is concerned about levels of violence and gun crime, this man is training his children in how to use a deadly assault rifle.
"Why was he doing this? This sends out the worst possible message and renders Cllr Hanif unsuitable to hold elected public office. Mr Salmond needs to take decisive action, or his own credibility will be under question."
A spokesman for the SNP said: "Cllr Hanif has not had the opportunity to put his side of the story.
"On the face of it he has not broken the law, and there is no suggestion of any involvement in anything untoward.
"Nevertheless, this was foolish and inappropriate conduct.
Cllr Hanif has been suspended from the party, and therefore the council group, pending a disciplinary hearing where he will have the opportunity to explain himself and this incident."
In a statement issued by the SNP, Mr Hanif said: "I regret that this happened and apologise – it was foolish and inappropriate."
He added: "It took place over two and a half years ago, long before I became a councillor.
"I accept the actions of the party and will wish to take part in the formal hearing on my return to Scotland."
The full article contains 491 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
