Human rights lawyers Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha on Monday approached the Supreme Court seeking to set aside an Islamabad High Court order of October 19 and to stop an anti-terrorism court (ATC) — a special court that hears terrorism-related cases — from continuing their trial in a security breach case.
Through advocate Faisal Siddiqui, they asked the apex court to restrain the trial court from going further. Their petition argues that without an immediate stay, their pending high court application would lose practical effect.
What the Supreme Court plea says
The couple contend that the trial court moved in haste and recorded prosecution witness statements in a single day. They say statements of two prosecution witnesses were taken without giving the defence a chance to cross-examine them.
An ATC in Islamabad indicted Mazari and Chattha earlier this month even though, they say, they had not yet received copies of the case documents. In the petition they maintain that removing security barriers does not amount to terrorism, and they allege the case is meant to harass them and keep them behind bars through political victimisation.
The matter is registered at Aabpara Police Station. Prosecutors allege the couple posed a security risk by interfering in state affairs during an international cricket team’s visit in October 2024.
What the Islamabad High Court did
On October 19, the IHC dismissed their request for an interim order on petitions that sought removal of anti-terrorism provisions from the case. The same day, according to the petition trail, it issued notices to the relevant parties on a separate plea seeking suspension of the trial proceedings.
Separately, a division bench of Justice Raja Inaam Ameen Minhas and Justice Shahrukh Arjumand on Monday issued notices on appeals filed by Mazari and Chattha against an ATC decision that dismissed their challenges to the framing of charges and the inclusion of terrorism-related provisions.
Counsel Riasat Ali Azad, Zainab Janjua and others appeared for the couple. Justice Minhas asked whether the accused had received copies of the relevant documents. Azad said they had not, and that he wanted to examine how the charges had been framed.
Defence objections to the ATC process
Azad argued that the ATC passed the disputed order without the authority to do so, and that the case had remained pending before Judge Abual Hasanat Mohammad Zulqarnain from March 12, 2025, until recently. Citing the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto case precedent, he said the court where the challan — the police charge sheet — was filed is the one authorised to hear the matter.
He further said the accused were not given copies of the documents and that charges were not read out in their presence because they were not physically in the courtroom. Legal proceedings, he argued, cannot advance in the absence of the accused, and charges must be framed when they are present. Counsel also alleged a breach of a National Judicial Policy Making Committee decision. The high court was also told that journalists and the public could not attend the jail trial.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- October 2024: Police case at Aabpara links the couple to alleged security interference during an international cricket team’s visit.
- March 12, 2025: Defence says the matter remained pending before Judge Abual Hasanat Mohammad Zulqarnain from this date until recently.
- Early October 2026: An Islamabad ATC indicts Mazari and Chattha despite objections over case documents.
- October 19, 2026: IHC refuses interim relief to stay the trial; issues notices on a plea to suspend proceedings.
- October 26, 2026: Couple move the Supreme Court; IHC division bench issues notices on appeals against charge framing.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Imaan Mazari aur Hadi Chattha ne Supreme Court se kaha hai ke un ka ATC trial rok diya jaye. High Court ne 19 October ko un ki temporary stay ki darkhwast nahi mani thi. Woh kehte hain ke documents nahi mile aur gawahi jaldi record ho gayi. Ab aala adalat faisla karegi ke trial aage barhe ya nahi.
