IHC to hear Imaan Mazari, Hadi Ali Chattha sentence suspension pleas on July 24

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has scheduled the sentence suspension pleas of lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha in the controversial tweets case for hearing on July 24.

Justice Muhammad Azam Khan will hear the applications, according to the cause list issued by the IHC Registrar’s Office.

The Supreme Court, in its May 12 order, had directed the high court to decide the sentence suspension applications within two weeks. The case was previously fixed before the IHC for June 4, but the cause list was later cancelled.

The sentence suspension pleas are also scheduled to come up for hearing before the Supreme Court on July 21. Earlier in July, SC issued notices to the Additional Attorney General and other respondents on applications filed by Mazari and Chattha seeking an early hearing of their appeal.

An Islamabad sessions court had sentenced the couple to a total of 17 years in prison on January 24 under various provisions of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act. The IHC rejected their requests for suspension of the sentences on February 19.

A three-member SC bench, headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, was informed that the apex court had earlier directed the IHC to decide the suspension pleas within two weeks. Counsel Faisal Siddiqui said the high court heard the matter on May 20 and fixed it for June 4, but the cause list was cancelled and no revised date was issued. He argued that an urgent application was also returned.

Justice Mazhar had observed that the SC could not interfere with an interim high court order but suggested that the matter be fixed. The hearing was adjourned until July 21.

The case stems from an August 2025 cybercrime complaint accusing Mazari of spreading narratives aligned with proscribed groups, while Chattha was accused of reposting some of her content.