Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Tahir Abbas Supra announces 10-year prison sentences for Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha in a case involving alleged obstruction of an international cricket team’s security route in Islamabad.
RAWALPINDI: Human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, have each been sentenced to 10 years in prison in a case involving allegations that they removed security barriers on a route designated for an international cricket team in Islamabad.
Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Tahir Abbas Supra announced the verdict at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, where the court had reserved its decision. The court also imposed fines on both defendants under three separate legal provisions.
The case was registered at Islamabad’s Aabpara police station on Oct. 25, 2024. The allegations concern the obstruction of a security route designated for an international cricket team and the alleged incitement of the public.
Couple Deny Charges
Mazari and Chattha were indicted on Oct. 7 and pleaded not guilty. Both subsequently contested the prosecution’s account of the incident and presented their position in statements recorded under Section 342 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
The couple argued that the temporary road closure was unlawful because police did not have a magistrate’s order authorizing it. Mazari said they were travelling to the Anti-Terrorism Court when they encountered the closure and had waited for 15 minutes before seeking permission to proceed.
They also alleged that police used violence against them during the incident. Mazari claimed that a police official threw an iron barrier at her, causing injuries, while Chattha said he intervened to protect his wife.
The defendants cited medical records from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in support of their account. They also challenged the prosecution’s handling of video footage and other evidence.
These assertions formed part of the couple’s defence and were contested in the case. The allegations against them were the subject of the court proceedings.
State Counsel Represents Defendants
The court appointed state counsel Atif Mahmood to represent the defendants after their legal team declined to cross-examine prosecution witnesses.
Mahmood cross-examined witnesses during the trial, while the prosecution presented seven witnesses in total.
The couple also raised objections to the proceedings at Adiala Jail, alleging that the arrangements restricted their access to legal representation and undermined their right to a fair trial.
Their objections formed part of their challenge to the proceedings, alongside their denial of the charges and arguments concerning the legality of the road closure and the handling of evidence.
Verdict Follows Trial Proceedings
Before the verdict, both Mazari and Chattha were on bail in the case. The court subsequently announced the prison sentences and fines against them.
The case centred on allegations relating to the security arrangements for an international cricket team in Islamabad. The defendants maintained that the road closure was unauthorized and disputed the prosecution’s account of what happened.
The verdict marks the outcome of the trial before the Anti-Terrorism Court, following proceedings in which the prosecution presented seven witnesses and the defendants challenged the allegations against them.
About The Author
