Imaan Mazari, Hadi Chattha case adjourned after lawyer withdraws ‘vakalatnama’

RAWALPINDI: An anti-terrorism court on Monday adjourned proceedings until October 20 in the case against lawyer and human rights activist Imaan Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, over the alleged removal of security barriers, after their counsel, Advocate Zainab Janjua, withdrew her vakalatnama.

When ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra conducted the hearing at Adiala jail, where the couple is currently detained, Janjua appeared on behalf of the accused before withdrawing her power of attorney.

No prosecution witness’s statement could be recorded during Monday’s proceedings. The court adjourned the hearing until 10am on Tuesday.

The case relates to allegations that Imaan and Hadi removed security barriers placed along the route of an international cricket team and interfered with official duties. The couple was indicted in the case on October 7.

Jail trial and defence objections

The proceedings are being held at Adiala jail following a notification authorising the trial to take place on the prison premises.

The arrangement was introduced after police cited difficulties in transporting the accused to court.

At the previous hearing on October 16, the couple objected to the manner in which they were presented before the court, while their lawyers challenged the jail-trial arrangements and sought an end to proceedings at the prison.

The couple and their lawyers subsequently walked out of the courtroom in protest. A prosecution witness recorded a statement during that hearing, according to media reports.

The defence has also raised concerns about access to legal counsel and the conditions under which lawyers have been allowed to meet the accused.

At an earlier hearing, Advocate Aimal Khan Mandokhail submitted an affidavit alleging that a meeting with Imaan at the jail lacked privacy and that he had not been allowed to hand over case documents.

The court had directed jail authorities to facilitate meetings between the accused and their lawyers in accordance with the applicable prison rules.

Case background

The case was registered at Islamabad’s Aabpara Police Station and concerns the alleged disruption of a security route for an international cricket team, along with allegations of incitement to public unrest.

The prosecution has accused the couple of removing barriers from the route. Imaan and Hadi were formally indicted on October 7, after which the court summoned prosecution witnesses to record their statements.

The proceedings are separate from other cases involving the couple, including a case registered in connection with a protest and alleged interference with police officials.

The allegations in the barrier-removal case remain subject to adjudication by the court.

On January 23, Imaan Mazari, Hadi Ali Chattha were arrested near Serena Chowk while they were on their way to the district courts, accompanied by officials from the High Court Bar. The couple was arrested under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) following a complaint with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).

Imaan is accused of posting content allegedly aligned with hostile organisations, while Hadi is charged with reposting some of it. The posts reportedly criticised security forces over missing persons cases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, creating the impression of state involvement in terrorism. They were indicted in October 2025.

An Islamabad court on January 23 sentenced Iman Mazari and Hadi Ali Chatha to 17 years of rigorous imprisonment each in a case related to controversial social media posts.

On September 9, the Supreme Court approved the sentence-suspension petitions filed by Imaan Mazar and Hadi Ali Chattha, suspending the sentences handed down to them by the trial court.

The court had also granted bail to Imaan and ordered her release against surety bonds of Rs200,000. 

Imaan and Chattha, were sent to jail on judicial remand on September 17 after being rearrested shortly after the Supreme Court issued their release order on bail.