The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has asked for responses to appeals lodged by Imaan Mazari, a lawyer known for her rights work, and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha. The couple are contesting a decision by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) that rejected their pleas over how charges were framed and over adding terror-related clauses to the case against them. The bench has not ruled on the merits, and it has said it will decide how to proceed once replies arrive.
The arguments before the bench
Justices Minhas and Shahrukh Arjumand sat together on Monday to hear the matter. Counsel Riasat Ali Azad made the case for the couple, arguing that the ATC passed its order without the authority needed to do so. He told the court that the case had been before Judge Abual Hasanat Mohammad Zulqarnain since March 12, 2025, and he relied on a precedent from the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto case, saying the court where the challan, or charge sheet, was filed should hear the trial.
Azad also said the accused had not received copies of the relevant documents and had not been present in court when the charges were read out. He added that the charge carried his signature but not theirs, which he said the law requires. He further alleged that a decision of the National Judicial Policy Making Committee, a body that sets judicial policy, had been ignored, and he asked the bench to halt the trial and remove the anti-terrorism clauses.
The judges pressed several points. Justice Minhas asked whether hearings were being held over video link, and noted that the accused had been connected that way and that their attendance was recorded when the charges were framed. Counsel replied that proceedings began by video link but moved to a jail trial at the latest hearing. The judge also asked where the law requires an accused person to be physically produced for charge framing, and remarked that the defence did not appear willing to accept the copies. Azad answered that all of the defence's filings in the ATC had been dismissed, and asked for the case file and the footage of the proceedings.
What happens next
The bench issued notices and said it would pass an order and inform the parties. No ruling on the defence's objections has been announced. Because the appeals also cover the anti-terrorism provisions, the outcome could affect which legal provisions the case rests on, as well as how the ATC trial continues.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- March 12, 2025: the case came before Judge Abual Hasanat Mohammad Zulqarnain of the ATC, according to the defence counsel.
- A Monday hearing before the IHC division bench: the appeals were heard and notices were issued.
- At the most recent ATC hearing (date not given): counsel said proceedings had shifted from video link to a jail trial.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Islamabad High Court ne Imaan Mazari aur unke shohar Hadi Ali Chattha ki appeals par notice jaari kiye hain. Woh anti-terrorism court ke us faisle ko chunauti de rahe hain jisme charges tay karne aur terror-related dafaat shamil karne par unki darkhwast mustarad ho gayi thi. Abhi tak adalat ne koi faisla nahi diya, aur jawab aane ke baad hi agla qadam uthaya jayega. Aam logon ke liye iska matlab yeh hai ke trial ke qanooni tareeqe par adalat ki nazar hai.
