IHC dismisses contempt case against Imaan Mazari

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday dismissed a contempt of court petition against lawyer Imaan Mazari, ruling the plea inadmissible.

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani issued an eleven-page written decision in which the court declared that the contempt petition, filed by citizen Hafiz Ehtesham over Mazari’s statements against district judiciary judges, lacked legal grounds. The verdict was pronounced after being reserved earlier.

In a related development, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) extended interim bails for several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including Bushra Bibi, in various protest-related cases. ATC Judge Abual Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain heard the pre-arrest bail applications and extended all bails until January 19, 2026.

Leaders present in court included Junaid Akbar, Abdul Qayyum Niazi, and Shehryar Afridi, while others, such as Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, Zartaj Gul, and Shahram Tarakai, filed exemption applications. The cases pertain to protests held on November 26, October 4, the Sangjani rally, and a demonstration outside the Supreme Court.

The IHC ruling reinforces the legal protections for public commentary while the ATC’s decision provides temporary relief to opposition figures facing multiple protest-related charges.