Judge warns of contempt of court proceedings if accused not produced by 11 a.m. today
Imaan Mazari, human rights lawyer and social activist, and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha. Photo file
ISLAMABAD:
A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Friday ordered the arrest of Iman Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha within 24 hours in a case related to alleged controversial social media posts.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Afzal Mujoka issued the order after expressing deep displeasure over non-execution of arrest warrants after the sessions court on Thursday canceled the bail of the husband and wife duo, citing repeated non-appearances and heated scenes during the proceedings. The court ordered their arrest and production in court, and officially withdrew their right to cross-examine them.
The case was registered under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 (PECA). Prosecutors accused Mazari and Chattha of inciting division on linguistic grounds through social media posts and of creating the impression that state institutions were engaged in acts of terrorism inside the country.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Islamabad Police Jawad Tariq along with DIG Operations and Director National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) Syed Khurram Ali appeared before the court.
Questioning the performance of the police, Justice Mujoka asked why the arrest warrants were not executed and noted that the non-execution of arrest warrants in the federal capital raised serious concerns.
Read: Court cancels bail of Imaan Mazari, her husband in social media posts case
The judge ordered authorities to arrest the accused “from Pakistan, India or Afghanistan” within 24 hours, adding that it did not matter whether they were “on land, sea or in the air” but that compliance with the arrest warrants was mandatory.
Khurram Ali told the court that a four-member team was formed but the accused were not found at their given addresses and were deliberately hiding.
Justice Mujoka criticized the police, asking how arrests would be made in other provinces if a single suspect could not be apprehended in Islamabad. He reiterated that the execution of arrest warrants was mandatory.
The judge also asked why prosecutor Sheikh Aamir Suhail did not appear before the court and ordered that he be removed from the case.
Directing the DIG operations to ensure immediate compliance, Justice Mujoka ordered that the arrest warrants be executed and the accused produced in court by 11am.
The court adjourned the hearing until 11 a.m., warning that contempt of court proceedings would be initiated if the arrest warrants were not executed.
Learn more: IHC orders re-recording of witness statements in Imaan and Hadi tweets case
Case history
The case against Mazari, a lawyer and human rights activist, and Chattha focuses on allegedly controversial posts and reposts on X, formerly Twitter, that authorities described as “anti-state.” The National Cybercrime Investigation Agency registered the case under PECA 2016, saying the content was aimed at inciting divisions and portraying a negative image of state institutions.
Earlier in the proceedings, the trial court issued non-bailable arrest warrants after the accused failed to appear, sparking criticism and legal challenges from the defense. Mazari and Chattha then approached the Islamabad High Court, alleging a lack of transparency and procedural irregularities, including recording of evidence in their absence and without proper legal representation.
Their request to transfer the case was heard by the High Court, which refused to grant an immediate stay. The couple then approached the Supreme Court, which ordered a temporary halt to the trial until the High Court completed its hearing.
The Islamabad Bar Association and other legal bodies criticized aspects of the trial, arguing that the defendants’ right to a fair defense had been compromised. The proceedings have seen numerous adjournments and continued litigation in the higher courts regarding due process and rights of defense.
