Supreme Court Disposes of Imaan Mazari, Hadi Chattha Appeals

ISLAMABAD: (Court Reporter) – The Supreme Court on Wednesday disposed of appeals filed by lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, in a security breach case, observing that the matter had become infructuous before the top court.

A three-member bench headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar heard the couple’s appeals against an Islamabad High Court (IHC) order concerning their trial proceedings.

The bench disposed of the petitions, leaving it to the IHC to determine whether the appeals before it were maintainable.

The development comes days after the couple approached the IHC to challenge their convictions by an anti-terrorism court (ATC).

On October 29, the Rawalpindi ATC sentenced both accused to 10 years in prison and imposed a fine of Rs100,000 each under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997.

The case was registered at Aabpara Police Station and relates to alleged interference in state affairs during the visit of an international cricket team in October 2024, which prosecutors claimed created a security risk.

Background

Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha have been in custody since January 23 this year, when they were arrested in connection with a protest outside the Islamabad High Court.

The following day, a sessions court sentenced them to a combined 17 years in prison on several charges under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016, in a case involving controversial social media posts.

On September 17, the Supreme Court suspended their sentences in the social media posts case and granted them bail against surety bonds of Rs200,000 each, pending the IHC’s final decision.

However, hours after their release, Islamabad police arrested the couple again in another case and produced them before an anti-terrorism court.

According to the FIR, they were accused of chanting anti-government slogans and blocking roads during a protest.