ATC Adjourns Bail Pleas of Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha
An anti-terrorism court on Tuesday adjourned the bail pleas of human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha in the security barriers case.
The adjournment extends the couple’s wait for relief in proceedings that have already drawn international attention.
The case so far
The couple face terrorism charges over the removal of security barriers erected for the English cricket team. The FIR was registered at the Kohsar police station in March 2025 on the complaint of City Magistrate Ghulam Murtaza Chandio, accusing them of chanting anti-government slogans and blocking roads.
On Saturday, the same court disposed of their petition seeking to drop the terrorism charges, with ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra ruling it was not the right stage to grant relief without hearing their lawyers’ arguments. The plea was not decided on its merits.
That hearing was dominated by the jail authorities’ failure to produce the couple in person despite a court order. Islamabad Police had failed to provide an escort, so the couple appeared through a video link. The judge demanded a written explanation from the jail authorities for defying the production order.
Delays have dogged the bail proceedings for weeks. On October 5, another ATC bench adjourned the same bail pleas after the investigating officer failed to appear, prompting the judge to summon a deputy superintendent of police and warn of jail time for non-compliant officers.
A long legal road
The couple have been in jail since their arrest on January 23 in a case over protesting outside the Islamabad High Court and allegedly manhandling the IHC Bar Association president. A day later, a sessions court sentenced them to 17 years under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act over controversial social media posts.
On September 17, the Supreme Court suspended those sentences and ordered their release pending the Islamabad High Court’s final verdict on their appeals. Hours later, Islamabad Police rearrested them in the fresh barriers case.
UN experts have demanded the couple’s immediate release, and academics in the UK and US have joined calls for their freedom. The couple have also challenged the framing of charges before the Islamabad High Court.
Related:
- ATC Disposes of Imaan, Hadi Plea to Drop Terrorism Charges
- ATC Records Testimonies in Imaan, Hadi Case
- Legal Team Denied Jail Access to Imaan, Hadi
- Academics Demand Release of Imaan Mazari, Hadi Chattha
Frequently asked questions
What did the ATC decide on Tuesday?
It adjourned the bail pleas of Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha in the security barriers case.
What is the barriers case about?
The removal of security barriers erected for the English cricket team. The FIR accused the couple of chanting anti-government slogans and blocking roads.
Why were they rearrested in September?
The Supreme Court had suspended their 17-year PECA sentences and ordered release; hours later, Islamabad Police rearrested them in the fresh case.
What happened at the last hearing?
The court disposed of their plea to drop terrorism charges without deciding it on merits, after jail authorities failed to produce them in person.
