Islamabad court indicts Imaan Mazari, husband in controversial tweet case

A district and sessions court in Islamabad has indicted lawyer and activist Imaan Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chatha, in a case relating to a controversial tweet, with both pleading not guilty to the charges.

Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka presided over the hearing. The court summoned all prosecution witnesses for the next hearing and directed Hadi Ali Chatha to submit fresh surety bonds.

Chatha, however, refused to comply, saying, “I will not submit surety bonds. If you want to jail me for a year, go ahead. You acted unlawfully yesterday and are unfit to be a judge”.

Yesterday, the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency arrested Hadi Ali Chatha in Islamabad after a local court issued non-bailable arrest warrants against him for failing to appear at the hearing of a case.

Read: Imaan Mazari's husband arrested in 'controversial' tweet case

During the proceedings, Imaan Mazari remarked, “You want to have us arrested; please cancel my bail as well”.

Judge Majoka responded, “It is my principle that if I give you respect, I expect the same in return”.

Defence counsel Qaiser Imam argued that the accused had multiple court appearances in other cases, including at the High Court and in Rawalpindi. The judge noted that hearings had already been postponed three times at the defence’s request.

The court adjourned the case until November 5, directing witnesses to appear at the next hearing.

The case against them centres around tweets posted by Imaan on X, which have been termed as controversial and anti-state. Chatha was included in the investigation for retweeting the said posts.

Read more: Imaan Mazari, Hadi Chattha's bail extended in alleged assault case

In another case, the anti-terrorism court extended the interim bail of Imaan Mazari, Hadi Ali Chatha, and other lawyers in a case involving an alleged altercation and assault on High Court Bar President Wajid Gilani.

The accused's lawyers could not present their arguments during the hearing, upon which the court directed the investigation officer to complete the supplementary investigation.

The court directed the parties' lawyers to present their arguments at the next hearing and adjourned the case till Nov 3.

A case has been registered against Iman Mazari and others at the Secretariat Police Station.