Imaan Mazari and Hadi Chatha have taken their dispute over trial proceedings in an anti-terrorism case to Pakistan’s apex court. In an Imaan Mazari Supreme Court challenge filed with Chatha, they contest an Islamabad High Court (IHC) decision linked to their request to halt the trial, arguing that without an immediate stay a related application still pending before the high court would lose its effect.
What the petitioners told the court
In their Supreme Court petition, the applicants said the trial court had started proceedings in haste and had not given them enough time. They also said statements of prosecution witnesses were recorded in a single day.
The petition further argued that removing security barriers did not constitute terrorism. Mazari and Chatha alleged that the trial was meant to harass them and subject them to political victimisation, and claimed the aim was to keep them behind bars.
What the IHC decided on October 19
On October 19, the IHC dismissed their request for an interim order on petitions seeking the removal of anti-terrorism provisions from the case. At the same time, the high court issued notices to the relevant parties on their separate plea seeking suspension of the trial proceedings.
That sequence left the applicants pressing the Supreme Court over the high court’s handling of the stay request, while a related plea at the IHC remained live. The Imaan Mazari Supreme Court move centres on whether trial steps should pause while those high court questions are still open.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- October 19: The IHC dismissed Mazari and Chatha’s request for an interim order on petitions seeking removal of anti-terrorism provisions from the case.
- October 19: The IHC issued notices to the relevant parties on their separate plea seeking suspension of the trial proceedings.
- October 26: Imaan Mazari and Hadi Chatha approached the Supreme Court against the IHC decision concerning their request to halt trial proceedings.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Imaan Mazari aur Hadi Chatha Supreme Court gaye hain. Unhon ne Islamabad High Court ke faisle ko challenge kiya hai jo un ke anti-terrorism case ke trial rokne se related hai. Un ka kehna hai ke agar trial turant nahi rukta to un ki High Court wali darkhwast bekaar ho sakti hai. Ab yeh mamla apex court dekh rahi hai.
