ISLAMABAD: A local court on Wednesday issued non-bailable arrest warrants for human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari and her husband, Advocate Hadi Ali Chattha, in a case about their alleged controversial tweet.
Hearing the case registered against the couple under Sections 9, 10, 11, and 26-A of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) over alleged anti-state remarks made on social media, Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka issued warrants for the couple after they did not appear before it.
After the break, when the hearing resumed, the judge expressed displeasure over their absence and issued show-cause notices to both accused, questioning why their bail should not be cancelled for failing to appear. The court then issued non-bailable arrest warrants for both the accused, noting that despite being aware of the hearing, the accused had deliberately chosen not to attend.
The court adjourned the hearing until today (Thursday).
Earlier in the day, when the hearing started, Imaan Mazari contested the previous court order, calling it “baseless.” She argued contrary to the court’s record, the charge had not been read out to her, adding that the court could verify this from the camera recordings of the proceedings. “I do not even know what charges have been framed against me,” Mazari said.
The judge responded that her lawyer was informed of the charges and had already pleaded not guilty on her behalf. Mazari requested that the court read and explain the charge directly to her, to which the judge told her to call her lawyer, as he was informed about the charges.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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