An SNP councillor who was caught on video firing a Kalashnikov AK47 assault rifle in Pakistan has escaped expulsion from the party and instead has been suspended for two months.

The decision of the party's disciplinary committee has infuriated political opponents who described the councillor's actions as “outrageous”.

The investigation into Councillor Jahangir Hanif's conduct was begun earlier this month after the 46-year-old Glasgow businessman was seen in video images brandishing the weapon.

The stills were published in a newspaper and were taken during a trip he made to Pakistan in 2005 with five of his children.

He also showed his children how to use the gun during the trip into the mountains near the Kashmir border, according to his daughter, Noor, who was with him.

The councillor was immediately suspended after the footage emerged and his party branded his actions “foolish and inappropriate”.

Mr Hanif apologised for the incident, pointing out that it happened long before he became a councillor.

The disciplinary committee found Mr Hanif had breached party discipline and rules but stopped short of expelling him.

There were reports yesterday that the disciplinary hearing came close to collapse after moves to rule it unconstitutional on technical grounds, although the party refused to comment.

Some committee members were reportedly unhappy that the complaint was effectively issued by Peter Murrell, the SNP chief executive, rather than Duncan Ross, the party's national secretary, leading to a vote on whether to hear the complaint at all.

An SNP spokeswoman who confirmed that expulsion had been an option for the hearing, said: “Suspension from membership of the party is a serious matter, which will stand on Councillor Hanif's record in relation to all future activity.

“It reflects that the committee found him to be guilty of a breach of party discipline and rules. It is of course subject to appeal.”

Frank McAveety, the Labour MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, said it was absolutely outrageous for a public representative to be pictured with an AK47 assault rifle.He said: “The SNP disciplinary committee might have refused to dump Jahangir Hanif, but ultimately it will be the voters who decide his future.”

Andy Kerr, a contender in the Labour leadership contest in Scotland, attacked the SNP over its failure to take action against the councillor.

Mr Kerr said: “This is the party that tells us it wants to ban air rifles but doesn't have the resolve to ban one of its own councillors disgracing himself and the city of Glasgow with his flagrant disregard for public sensitivity to the use of this type of automatic weaponry in this manner.

“What sort of message is the party of government in Scotland sending to the people of Scotland when it condones such behaviour?” asked Mr Kerr.

“The SNP's credibility on gun law and gun related crime is now in tatters because of their failure to expel this councillor from membership.”

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