Judge warns of contempt of court if defendant does not appear by 11 a.m. today
Human rights lawyer and social activist Imaan Mazari and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha. Photo archive
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 the non-execution of arrest warrants after the sessions court on Thursday canceled the bail of the husband-wife duo, citing repeated non-appearance and heated scenes during the proceedings. The court ordered their arrest and presentation to court, and formally withdrew their right to cross-examination.
The case has been registered under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 (PECA). Prosecutors have accused Mazari and Chattha of inciting divisions along linguistic lines through social media posts and creating the impression that state institutions were involved in terrorism within the country.
Islamabad Police Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Jawad Tariq along with DIG Operations and National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) Director Syed Khurram Ali appeared before the court.
Questioning the police action, Justice Mujoka asked why the orders had not been executed and stressed that the lack of execution of the orders in the federal capital raised serious concerns.
Read: Court cancels bail of Imaan Mazari, 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 air”, but compliance with the orders was mandatory.
Khurram Ali told the court that a four-member team had been formed but the accused were not found at their given addresses and were deliberately hiding.
Justice Mujoka criticized the police and asked how arrests would be made in other provinces if not a single suspect could be arrested in Islamabad. He reiterated that the execution of the arrest warrants was mandatory.
The judge also questioned why prosecutor Sheikh Aamir Suhail had not appeared in court and ordered that he be removed from the case.
Directing DIG Operations to ensure immediate compliance, Justice Mujoka ordered the orders to be executed and the accused to appear in court before 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.
Read 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 centers on alleged controversial posts and reposts on X, formerly Twitter, which authorities have described as “anti-state.” The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency registered the case under PECA 2016, saying the content was aimed at inciting divisions and negatively portraying state institutions.
Early in the proceedings, the trial court issued no-bail warrants after the defendants failed to appear, drawing criticism and legal challenges from the defense. Mazari and Chattha subsequently approached the Islamabad High Court, alleging lack of transparency and procedural irregularities, including the collection of evidence in their absence and without adequate legal representation.
His request for transfer of the case was heard by the high court, which refused to grant an immediate stay. The couple then went to the Supreme Court, which ordered a temporary stay of the trial until the high court completes its hearing.
The Islamabad Bar Association and other legal bodies have criticized aspects of the trial, arguing that the accused’s right to a fair defense has been undermined. The proceedings have been subject to multiple postponements and continued litigation in higher courts over due process and defense rights.
