Islamabad’s anti-terrorism court grants bail to the lawyer and her husband against surety bonds of Rs5,000 each in a case involving allegations of road obstruction and a scuffle with police.
ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad on Tuesday granted bail to lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, in a case involving allegations of blocking a road and scuffling with police.
ATC Judge Abul Hasanat Muhammad Zulqarnain approved their bail applications against surety bonds of Rs5,000 each after police presented the case record before the court.
During the hearing, defence counsel Riasat Ali Azad informed the judge that the record had been submitted.
“Sir, the record has arrived today,” the lawyer told the court.
Judge Zulqarnain remarked that he would have questioned the police if the record had not been produced that day.
“Had the record not arrived today, I would have asked them,” the judge said before asking the parties whether they had anything further to submit ahead of the decision.
“You people have anything to say? All right, leave it,” he remarked before approving the bail pleas.
The judge also said he would look into the matter concerning a show-cause notice issued to the police.
The case was registered at Aabpara Police Station on Oct. 25, 2024, after Mazari and Chattha were accused of removing security barriers and inciting the public.
The couple denied the allegations, arguing that the road closure was unlawful because police did not have a magistrate’s order. They maintained that they were travelling to the anti-terrorism court and had waited before seeking permission to proceed.
Both also alleged that police subjected them to violence and cited medical records in support of their claims.
The development comes days after the ATC sentenced Mazari and Chattha to 10 years in prison each on Oct. 29 in a case concerning allegations that they obstructed the security route of an international cricket team in Islamabad in October 2024.
The court also imposed fines and awarded additional sentences on separate charges of obstructing and assaulting government servants. All sentences were ordered to run concurrently.
The trial was conducted at Adiala Jail, where the court appointed state counsel after the couple’s legal team declined to cross-examine prosecution witnesses. Seven prosecution witnesses appeared during the proceedings.
Mazari and Chattha also raised concerns about their access to legal representation and the fairness of the trial.
Separately, the couple were arrested on Jan. 23 in a case involving social media posts that prosecutors described as anti-state. A sessions court subsequently sentenced them to 17 years in prison each under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).
The Supreme Court suspended those sentences on Sept. 17. However, police re-arrested them the same day in connection with the security route case.
Their family has said it plans to challenge the Oct. 29 convictions before the Supreme Court.
Tuesday’s bail decision concerns the case involving allegations of road obstruction and a scuffle with police, while the separate legal proceedings and convictions remain subject to their respective court processes.
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