ISLAMABAD: An Islamabad court has issued non-bailable arrest warrants for human rights activist and lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband, Advocate Hadi Ali Chattha, in a case concerning controversial social media posts.
The National Cybercrime Investigation Agency registered the case, alleging the couple attempted to incite linguistic divisions and create the impression that the armed forces were engaged in terrorism within the country.
The hearing was presided over by Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Muhammad Afzal Majoka, who had indicted both Mazari and Chattha last week. The two had denied the charges, and all prosecution witnesses were summoned for the day’s proceedings.
During the session, Chattha expressed a lack of confidence in the court, suggesting the judge appeared to be under pressure – a claim Majoka firmly rejected. The judge clarified that any transfer request should have been made before the indictment and that only the high court could now consider such a move.
Tensions escalated when Mazari argued that the charges had not been read out to them, which the judge denied, saying the indictment had already been completed. The couple announced to boycott the proceedings if the same judge continued the hearing.
