Judge warns of contempt of court proceedings if the accused is not presented no later than 11 today
Human rights lawyer and social activist Imaan Mazari and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha. Photo file
ISLAMABAD:
A district court in Islamabad has ordered the arrest of Iman Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha within 24 hours on Friday in a case related to alleged controversial posts on social media.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Afzal Mujoka issued the order after expressing strong displeasure over the non-execution of arrest warrants after the court on Thursday canceled bail for the husband-wife duo citing repeated non-appearances and heated scenes during the trial. The court ordered their arrest and production before the court and formally withdrew their right to cross-examination.
The case has been registered under the Prevention of Electronic Crime Act, 2016 (PECA). Prosecutors have accused Mazari and Chattha of inciting division on linguistic grounds through social media posts and of creating the impression that state institutions were involved in terrorism in 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.
Justice Mujoka questioned the performance of the police and asked why the warrants had not been executed, noting that failure to implement warrants in the federal capital raised serious concerns.
Read: Court cancels bail of Imaan Mazari, husband in social media posting case
The judge directed 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 team of four had been formed but the accused were not found at their given addresses and were deliberately in hiding.
Justice Mujoka criticized the police and asked how arrests would be made in other provinces if a single suspect could not be apprehended in Islamabad. He reiterated that execution of arrest warrants was mandatory.
The judge also questioned why prosecutor Sheikh Aamir Suhail had failed to appear in court and ordered that he be removed from the case.
Directing DIG Operations to ensure immediate compliance, Justice Mujoka ordered that the warrants be executed and the accused produced before the court by 1 p.m. 11 a.m.
The court adjourned the hearing until 11 a.m. and warned that a contempt of court action would be initiated if the arrest warrants were not executed.
Read more: IHC orders re-recording of testimony in Imaan, Hadi tweet case
Case history
The case against Mazari, a human rights lawyer and activist, and Chattha centers on alleged controversial posts and reposts on X, formerly Twitter, which authorities have described as “anti-government”. The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency registered the case under PECA 2016, saying the content was intended to incite divisions and portray government institutions negatively.
Earlier in the case, the trial court issued non-bailable arrest warrants after the accused failed to appear, drawing criticism and legal challenges from the defense. Mazari and Chattha later approached the Islamabad High Court alleging lack of transparency and procedural irregularities, including recording of evidence in their absence and without proper legal representation.
Their request to transfer the case was heard by the High Court, which declined to grant an immediate stay. The couple then moved to the Supreme Court, which ordered a temporary stay of the trial until the High Court concludes its hearing.
The Islamabad Bar Association and other legal bodies have criticized aspects of the trial, claiming that the defendants’ right to a fair defense has been undermined. The proceedings have seen several adjournments and continued litigation in higher courts on due process and defense rights.
