A district and sessions court on Wednesday rescinded the non-bailable arrest warrants for human rights advocate Imaan Zainab Hazir Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chatha, after the pair personally appeared before the judge in a case concerning controversial tweets. The development unfolds against a backdrop of escalating tensions between Mazari and a senior judge of the Islamabad High Court.
The warrants were initially issued a day prior following the couple’s failure to attend the hearing. A junior counsel had previously explained to the court that Mazari and Chatha had marked their attendance earlier but were compelled to leave for a separate legal proceeding in Rawalpindi.
The case, presided over by Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka, was conducted under stringent security measures with a significant police presence outside the courtroom. When the charges were framed, the couple abstained from either confirming or denying them.
“We will respond after engaging a lawyer,” Chatha stated to the court. “We have filed a fresh application regarding our documents, and until it is decided, no charges can be brought against us.”
In response, Judge Majoka instructed the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to furnish the accused with the requested paperwork. The prosecution, which had initially professed unawareness of written statements submitted earlier, produced the documents after the judge began dictating the official court order.
The hearing was observed by several senior legal figures, including former High Court Bar president Riyasat Ali Azad, District Bar president Naeem Gujjar, and his predecessor Qaiser Imam.
The court granted the couple’s request for additional time to prepare their defense and adjourned the matter until October 7.
This legal episode is intertwined with a significant dispute between Mazari and Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar. Mazari recently lodged a formal complaint of workplace harassment against the justice. This followed a courtroom altercation in September, after which Justice Dogar had reportedly warned her of contempt proceedings and remarked he would “get her arrested,” a comment that drew widespread condemnation from legal bodies.