Imaan Mazari and her husband spend the night at the IHC bar while the police wait outside

ISLAMABAD:

Human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband, lawyer Hadi Ali Chattha, spent Tuesday evening at the office of the President of the Bar Association of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) after arrest warrants were issued against them in connection with a recently revealed FIR.

The couple sought shelter at the office of Islamabad High Court Bar President Wajid Gilani after a fresh FIR was issued soon after the IHC reinstated their bail in an ongoing case linked to controversial social media posts. Arrest warrants have been issued in connection with this new case which dates back to July 2025.

Mazari and Chattha immediately filed pre-arrest bail applications with the IHC, requesting an emergency hearing. However, the chief justice’s secretary Maqsood Ahmed informed them that chief justice Sarfaraz Dogar had already left and the case could not be taken up on the same day.

Fearing arrest, the two lawyers stayed in the president’s office all night. Gilani assured them of their protection, telling the couple: “Sit in my office. No one will arrest you from here.”

Islamabad police remained stationed outside the court premises throughout the night, seeking to arrest Mazari and her husband.

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Read: IHC reinstates bail and restores the right of defense of Imaan Mazari, her husband

Several people visited the couple during the night. The new Leader of Opposition in the Senate, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, visited the bar to express solidarity with Mazari and Chattha.

Speaking to reporters alongside the two lawyers, Abbas said citizens often turn to the courts for relief, but instead face difficulties. He also spoke about long-standing grievances in Balochistan. Describing Mazari and Chattha as young lawyers representing freedom, he said these people should be valued. “To live is a fundamental right of every human being,” he said. “The murder of an innocent person is the murder of all humanity. »

Senior lawyer and JUI-F senator Kamran Murtaza, who is representing the couple in their bail case, was also present at the IHC bar as the developments attracted widespread attention on social media.

Learn more: IHC Grants Protective Bail to Imaan Mazari, Her Husband in Controversial Tweeting Case

Murtaza said, “It is total anarchy and an end to the reputation of the Bar that we framed our lawyers, Imaan and Hadi, by taking them to court, and the police made a false arrest FIR, and this brings ridicule and disrespect to the Bar.

On Wednesday morning, a district court headed by Justice Muhammad Afzal Majoka heard the tweets case against Mazari and Chattha. A junior lawyer appeared on their behalf and informed the court that a bail application was pending in the High Court, adding that the couple would appear after the IHC proceedings.

The district court adjourned the hearing at 1:30 p.m.

According to sources, the legal department of the district and session courts of Islamabad was closed following the emergence of the hitherto undisclosed FIR against the couple. The move was ordered by senior police officers amid allegations that details of the FIR were leaked. The FIR was registered in July, but neither Mazari nor Chattha had been granted bail in the case then.

Mazari and Chattha are already on trial in the District and Sessions Court in Islamabad for alleged controversial posts and reposts on X, formerly Twitter. Authorities described the content as “anti-state.”

The case was registered by the National Cybercrime Investigation Agency under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, alleging that the messages were aimed at inciting divisions and portraying a negative image of state institutions.

Previously, the trial court issued non-bailable arrest warrants after the couple failed to appear, leading to legal challenges from the defense. Mazari and Chattha then contacted the IHC, alleging procedural irregularities, including the recording of evidence in their absence and without proper legal representation.

After the High Court refused to grant an immediate stay, the couple asked the Supreme Court to temporarily stay the trial until the IHC completes its hearing.

Legal bodies, including the Islamabad Bar Association, criticized aspects of the proceedings, saying the accused’s right to a fair defense had been compromised.

“Victory for the rule of law”

Meanwhile, Islamabad High Court Bar Association President Wajid Ali Gilani addressed a press conference alongside lawyers Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chatha on Wednesday.

Gilani told reporters the development marked a “victory for the rule of law.”

He said a fresh FIR was filed against Mazari and Chatha and despite the delays, a bail application was filed a day earlier, although court staff had already left by then.

Gilani said the bail application has now been set for a hearing later on Wednesday.

He said Mazari and Chatha would not be handed over to the police under any circumstances.

Gilani alleged that police cordoned off the Islamabad High Court to arrest the two lawyers, with officers up to the rank of chief superintendent present at the scene.

He said lawyers come forward when leadership from the bar is needed and added that the administration and police failed in their actions due to the unity shown by the legal community.