Court restrains arrest until Tuesday, orders accused to appear in trial court after IHC hearing
Imaan Mazari, human rights lawyer and social activist, and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha. Photo file
ISLAMABAD:
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday granted one-day bail to lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha, barring their arrest until Tuesday and ordering them to appear before the court.
Justice Azam Khan was hearing the petition filed by Mazari and Chattha challenging the trial court’s decision to issue non-bailable arrest warrants in the controversial tweets case. The court approved bail until Tuesday and adjourned the hearing, ordering both accused to appear before the High Court.
During the hearing, the petitioners’ lawyer Kamran Murtaza told the court that the couple’s bail had been canceled twice and arrest orders had already been issued. “Even if there is a grievance against a lawyer, a judge must exercise restraint,” he said, adding that the trial court reviews the case every 15 minutes.
Murtaza also pointed out that Mazari is a woman and she is ill. “After Allah Almighty, judges hold an important position,” he said, urging the court to grant relief.
Read: Court orders arrest of Imaan Mazari and Hadi Chattha within 24 hours
Meanwhile, Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka heard the proceedings before the trial court and issued directions as per the IHC order. The prosecutor informed the court that the accused had been granted protective bail from the High Court and were expected to appear there on Tuesday.
The judge ordered Mazari and Chattha to appear before the trial court within an hour of their appearance before the Islamabad High Court. He said the accused would appear before his court and their statements under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code would be recorded there. The trial court adjourned the matter until Tuesday.
Earlier, on Saturday, the Additional District and Sessions Court had reissued non-bailable arrest warrants against Mazari and Chattha, noting that their bail had already been canceled and the arrest orders had not been implemented. The judge had advised the defense to seek relief from the Islamabad High Court, saying he had no power to set aside the cancellation of bail.
The couple had earlier gone to the Magistrates’ Court and requested a stay of the arrest warrant and permission to appear via video link, but the court maintained that only the High Court could grant such a measure.
Learn more: Court cancels bail of Imaan Mazari, her husband in social media posts case
The case against Mazari and Chattha concerns allegedly controversial posts and reposts on X, formerly Twitter, described by authorities as “anti-state.” The National Cybercrime Investigation Agency registered the case under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016, alleging that the content was intended to incite divisions and portray state institutions in a negative manner.
The trial court previously issued non-bailable arrest warrants after the defendants failed to appear, leading to legal challenges over transparency, recording of evidence in their absence and alleged procedural irregularities. The couple then approached the Islamabad High Court and then the Supreme Court, which temporarily stayed the trial pending the High Court’s review.
