Imaan Mazari, husband spend night at IHC bar office as police wait outside

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday granted two-day protective bail to human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband, advocate Hadi Ali Chattha, and barred authorities from arresting the couple during this period over a newly surfaced case dating back to July 2025.

Justice Azam Khan directed Mazari and Chattha to approach the relevant trial court within two days and ordered them to submit bail bonds of Rs100,000 each.

The couple had spent Tuesday night at the Islamabad High Court Bar president’s office after arrest warrants were issued against them in connection with a newly surfaced first information report (FIR).

The FIR was registered at Islamabad’s Kohsar Police Station in Islamabad on July 26, 2025, on the complaint of Superintendent of Police Safdar Hussain in connection with a protest by the Balock Yakjehti Committee (BYC) at the National Press Club under Sections 148 (rioting while armed with a deadly weapon), 186 (obstructing a public servant in performing official duties), 188 (disobedience to a public servant’s lawful order), 324 (attempt to commit qatl-i-amd), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 353 (assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from duty), 395 (punishment for dacoity) and 440 (mischief causing death or hurt after prior preparation) of the Pakistan Penal Code, along with Section 8 of the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act 2024, and Sections 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism), 11W (Printing, publishing, or disseminating any material to incite hatred or giving projection to anyperson convicted for a terrorist act or any proscribed organization or an organization placed underobservation or anyone concerned in terrorism) and 11X (responsibility for creating civil commotion) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

According to the FIR, Mazari allegedly attacked female police constables with a stick, injuring them, seized their riot shields and damaged public vehicles. Meanwhile, Chatha was accused of firing a pistol at a constable with intent to kill, though he missed, and of issuing death threats while flaunting the firearm.

The couple sought refuge at the office of Islamabad High Court Bar Association President Wajid Gilani after the fresh FIR emerged shortly after the IHC restored their bail in an ongoing case linked to controversial posts on social media. Arrest warrants were issued in the newly surfaced case, which dates back to July 2025.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed serious concern over what it described as the continued harassment of the couple. In a post on X, HRCP said both lawyers were now facing another “fabricated FIR”, registered immediately after the IHC reinstated their bail in an earlier case filed under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016.

Mazari and Chattha had immediately filed pre-arrest bail applications in the high court, seeking an urgent hearing. However, Secretary to the Chief Justice Maqsood Ahmed informed them that Chief Justice Sarfaraz Dogar had already left, making it impossible to hear the matter the same day.

Fearing arrest, the two lawyers remained in the bar president’s office overnight. Gilani assured them protection, telling the couple, “Sit in my office. No one will arrest you from here”.

Islamabad police remained stationed outside the court offices throughout the night, seeking to carry out the arrests of Mazari and her husband.

In a post on X, Mazari said: “The police are literally following us into the bathroom in the High Court and the instruction is to arrest us today no matter what”.

Read: IHC restores bail, reinstates right of defence of Imaan Mazari, husband

Several people visited the couple during the night. Newly appointed Senate opposition leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas came to the bar office to express solidarity with Mazari and Chattha.

Speaking to reporters alongside the two lawyers, Abbas said citizens often turn to courts for relief but instead face hardship. He also referred to long-standing grievances in Balochistan. Describing Mazari and Chattha as young lawyers representing freedom, he said such individuals should be valued. “Living is a fundamental right of every human being,” he said. “The killing of one innocent person is the killing of all humanity”.

Senior advocate and JUI-F Senator Kamran Murtaza, who is representing the couple in their bail case, was also present at the IHC bar room as the developments drew wide attention on social media.

Read more: IHC grants protective bail to Imaan Mazari, husband in controversial tweets case

Murtaza said: “It’s complete lawlessness and ending the repute of bar associations that we trapped our lawyers, Imaan and Hadi, by bringing them to court, and the police came up with a false FIR arrest, and it’s ridiculing and disrespecting the bar association.”

On Wednesday morning, a district court presided over by Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka heard the tweet case against Mazari and Chattha. A junior counsel appeared on their behalf and informed the court that a bail application was pending before the high court, adding that the couple would appear after the IHC proceedings.

The district court adjourned the hearing until 1:30pm.

According to sources, the legal branch at the Islamabad District and Sessions Courts was sealed following the emergence of the previously undisclosed FIR against the couple. The move was ordered by senior police officers amid allegations that details of the FIR had been leaked. The FIR was registered in July, but neither Mazari nor Chattha had obtained bail in the case at that time.

Mazari and Chattha are already facing trial in the Islamabad District and Sessions Court over alleged controversial posts and reposts on X, formerly Twitter. Authorities have described the content as “anti-state.”

The case was registered by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, alleging the posts were meant to incite divisions and portray state institutions negatively.

Earlier, the trial court issued non-bailable arrest warrants after the couple failed to appear, prompting legal challenges by the defence. Mazari and Chattha later approached the IHC, alleging procedural irregularities, including the recording of evidence in their absence and without proper legal representation.

After the high court declined to grant an immediate stay, the couple moved the Supreme Court, which ordered a temporary halt to the trial until the IHC completes its hearing.

Legal bodies, including the Islamabad Bar Association, have criticised aspects of the proceedings, saying the defendants’ right to a fair defence has been undermined.

‘Victory for the rule of law’

Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court Bar Association president, Wajid Ali Gilani, addressed a press conference on Wednesday alongside lawyers Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chatha.

Gilani told reporters the development marked a “victory for the rule of law.”

He said a new FIR had surfaced against Mazari and Chatha and that, despite delays, a bail application was filed a day earlier, although court staff had already left at the time.

Gilani said the bail plea had now been fixed for hearing later on Wednesday.

He said Mazari and Chatha would not be handed over to the police under any circumstances.

Gilani alleged that police had cordoned off the Islamabad High Court to arrest the two lawyers, with officers up to the rank of senior superintendent present at the scene.

He said lawyers step forward when bar leadership is required and added that the administration and police had failed in their actions due to the unity shown by the legal community.

Judge warns of no further delays

The District and Sessions Court reconvened later on Wednesday under Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka, but the accused did not appear, while the prosecution team was present.

Judge Majoka noted, “Despite being granted two days of protective bail, the accused did not appear in court. They have deliberately failed to attend.”

He said the Islamabad High Court had directed that cross-examination be completed within four days. “The High Court’s order was received on January 20. In light of this, the accused must complete cross-examination by 3:30pm on January 24,” the judge said.

Judge Majoka also criticised the accused for repeated delays. “The accused have developed a habit of arriving late in court and are deliberately wasting time,” he said.

He directed that cross-examination should begin at 9:30am and conclude by 3:30pm, with a 30-minute break at 1:30pm. “No further time will be granted if the accused continue to delay proceedings. If cross-examination is not completed by 3:30pm on January 24, the right to cross-examine will be forfeited,” he warned.

The court adjourned the hearing in the controversial tweets case until Thursday.