ATC orders jail hearing for Imaan, Hadi

ISLAMABAD:

An Islamabad anti-terrorism court (ATC) was informed on Thursday that the Ministry of Law had issued a notification directing that the next hearing of the case against lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, over the removal of barriers be held at Adiala Jail.

Earlier, ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra had directed lawyers and witnesses to appear at Adiala Jail for the next hearing. The case, registered at Aabpara police station, was subsequently adjourned until Friday.

During Thursday's hearing, Imaan and Hadi appeared before the court via video link, while their lawyers, Eamil Khan Mandokhail and Riasat Ali Azad, appeared in person. Mandokhail submitted an affidavit detailing the difficulties he said he had faced when he visited Adiala Jail on Tuesday to meet his clients.

According to the affidavit, he received a certified copy of the court order at 2:52pm and reached Central Jail Adiala at 3:50pm. He said he presented the order to the deputy superintendent and requested a confidential meeting in accordance with the Pakistan Prison Rules 1978 and the court's directions.

He said he was made to wait for about an hour before being allowed to meet his clients at 4:45pm. The meeting lasted only 25 minutes and ended at 5:10pm.

Mandokhail said the meeting had taken place in a conference room rather than a separate room, adding that it had been recorded and lacked privacy.