The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has scheduled a hearing on September 8 to consider the petitions filed by lawyer Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chatha seeking suspension of their sentences. The court’s registrar office released the cause list confirming the date.
Justice Azam Khan will preside over the hearing. These petitions were initially submitted in January following their conviction by a trial court in a case involving contentious tweets. Both Mazari and Chatha were sentenced to 17 years imprisonment and fined Rs 36 million each under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act for allegedly disseminating content against state institutions and promoting banned organizations’ narratives on social media.
In a significant development, the IHC hearing is set a day after the Supreme Court (SC) took up the matter on Wednesday. The couple had approached the apex court seeking an expedited hearing after the high court indefinitely postponed their pleas, despite an earlier SC directive to decide within two weeks. A two-member bench led by Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan heard arguments, where counsel Faisal Siddiqui highlighted the lack of progress in the IHC.
Justice Afghan questioned whether the Supreme Court could remain passive while awaiting action from the high court but acknowledged that the SC needed strong legal grounds to intervene. The state counsel informed the bench that the IHC would address the case following the judicial vacation. Consequently, the Supreme Court adjourned the hearing to Thursday.
Mazari and Chatha were arrested on January 23 and are currently detained at Adiala Jail. The Islamabad Bar Association has expressed concerns about Imaan Mazari’s health and detention conditions, urging the courts to expedite consideration of the suspension pleas and calling on jail authorities to provide necessary medical care.
