SC issues notices on pleas by Imaan Mazari, Hadi Chattha for early hearing

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday issued notices to the additional attorney general and other respondents on applications moved by lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha, who are seeking an early hearing of their challenge to a February 19 Islamabad High Court (IHC) order in the social media posts case.

A three-member bench headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, and comprising Justice Musarrat Hilali and Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan, heard the matter. During the proceedings, senior counsel Faisal Siddiqui told the court that the SC had earlier directed the IHC to decide the applications for suspension of sentence within two weeks. He said the apex court had kept the matter pending before itself.

Siddiqui informed the bench that after that order, the IHC heard the case on May 20 and fixed the next hearing for June 4. He said the June 4 cause list was later cancelled and no fresh date had been issued. He further told the court that an urgent appeal had also been filed but was returned.

Justice Mazhar observed that the Supreme Court could not interfere with an interim order of the high court. He also noted that the IHC had yet to issue notices on the pleas. Siddiqui argued that the IHC should at least fix the case and decide the matter.

"Don’t torture us. If you want to decide the case against us, you may do so, but at least fix it for hearing," Siddiqui told the bench.

He described the delay in proceedings as unprecedented. Justice Mazhar then suggested that the case be listed for next week. At that point, the counsel requested that it instead be taken up in the following week. The court accepted that request and adjourned the hearing until July 21.

Background of the case

On January 24 an Islamabad sessions court sentenced Imaan and Hadi to a combined 17 years in prison on multiple charges under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca). On February 19, the IHC rejected their request for suspension of sentence.

The case arose from a complaint filed under Peca on August 12, 2025, by the assistant director of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) Islamabad, who was also the investigating officer, before the Cybercrime Reporting Centre of the Federal Investigation Agency. The complaint accused Imaan of sharing and promoting narratives said to align with hostile terrorist groups and banned organisations, while her husband was accused of reposting some of her social media posts.

On June 17, Imaan and Hadi approached the Supreme Court seeking an early hearing of their challenge to the February 19 IHC ruling. Their petition sought early fixation of an appeal under Article 185(3) of the Constitution and requested that the matter be heard next week.

The couple have been jailed since their arrest in January in a separate case registered over a protest outside the IHC and allegations of manhandling the president of the IHC Bar Association. Their arrest drew criticism from rights groups, politicians and journalists, who emphasised the couple’s right to a fair trial. A day later, a sessions court sentenced them to 17 years in prison in the social media posts case.