Imaan contempt plea: ATC drops case against Adiala officials

ISLAMABAD:

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad on Tuesday ended contempt of court proceedings against the Adiala jail authorities after being informed that the two accused, Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha, had signed their power of attorney for litigation. In another case filed before the ATC, the court ordered notices on the bail applications filed by Imaan and Chattha and directed them to present arguments on October 5.

ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra heard the arguments on the application filed against Adiala jail authorities, with Riasat Ali Azad and other lawyers appearing on behalf of Imaan and Chattha. The court ended contempt proceedings against the jail authorities after being informed that the two accused had signed their power of attorney documents.

Judge Sipra directed the jail superintendent to formulate rules governing the process for signing such documents.

"If this is happening with lawyers, one can only imagine what happens to ordinary litigants seeking to sign power of attorney documents," the judge remarked.

Advocate Zainab informed the court that the Islamabad High Court had already formulated SOPs in this regard. She urged jail authorities not to turn procedural requirements into a form of punishment.

Judge Sipra observed that, in the past, people had been required to obtain signatures on power of attorney documents either at the court lock-up or inside prison vans.

"The first step towards accessing justice begins with the signing of a power of attorney," the judge remarked.

Following the signing of the documents, the court consigned Mazari and Chattha's application to the record.

Furthermore, ATC Judge Sipra ordered the indictment of the two suspects, Imaan and Chattha, on October 6 in the case registered against them at the Kohsar Police Station, involving accusations of an altercation with police. During the case proceedings, Imaan and Chattha appeared before the court via video link, while their lawyers, Riasat Ali Azad and Zainab Janjua, represented them.

Separately, the ATC also issued notices on the bail applications filed by Imaan and Chattha and directed them to present arguments on October 5. ATC Judge Abul Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain presided over the bail hearing.