IHC grants one-day protective bail to Imaan Mazari, Hadi Ali Chattha

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Monday granted one-day protective bail to lawyer and activist Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha, restraining authorities from arresting them until Tuesday in a case linked to controversial social media posts.

IHC Judge Justice Azam Khan heard the couple’s petition after arrest warrants were issued by a trial court following the cancellation of their bail.

During the hearing, their counsel Kamran Murtaza informed the court that the couple’s bail had been cancelled twice and that the trial court had already ordered their arrest.

He argued that even if there were issues during proceedings, a judge should exercise patience, adding that the trial court was taking up the case every 15 minutes.

He also pointed out that Imaan Mazari is a woman and was unwell, stressing the need for judicial restraint and dignity, and remarked that judges hold an important position after Allah Almighty.

Earlier, a trial court had directed authorities to obtain search warrants to arrest the couple after they failed to appear in court.

However, when proceedings resumed, the prosecutor informed the court that the Islamabad High Court had granted protective bail to Imaan and Hadi, after which the trial court adjourned the matter and directed that the accused appear before the sessions court the following day.

The trial judge had earlier refused to grant further adjournments, stating that the defence had taken undue advantage, and had ordered that the accused be produced before the sessions court within one hour of their appearance before the high court.

The case against Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha was registered under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act in August last year on a complaint filed with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency.

According to the FIR, Imaan allegedly shared social media posts that authorities claim propagated narratives aligned with hostile and proscribed organisations, while Hadi is accused of reposting some of the content. The posts allegedly criticised the role of security forces in cases of missing persons in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan and were said to create the impression that state institutions were involved in terrorism. The couple was indicted in October last year.

The trial court had cancelled their bail earlier this month over repeated non-appearances and tense courtroom proceedings, revoked their right to cross-examination and issued non-bailable arrest warrants.

Authorities were subsequently directed to arrest them within 24 hours, and the warrants were reissued after they could not be executed. The Islamabad High Court’s order granting one-day protective bail has temporarily halted their arrest, allowing them time to approach the relevant court and pursue legal remedies.