Court returns bail pleas of Imaan Mazari and Hadi Chattha

ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court in Islamabad on Tuesday returned the bail applications of lawyers Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha in a protest-related case after their legal team failed to submit signed powers of attorney.

ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra also issued notices to Adiala jail authorities over a separate application alleging that the detained lawyers were not being facilitated in signing the required documents.

During the hearing, the defence lawyers told the court that they had attempted to obtain signatures from Imaan and Hadi but were unable to complete the process because of the procedures followed by jail officials.

Advocate Zainab Janjua said she had visited Adiala jail and contacted officials on Friday and Saturday to arrange the signing of the documents. She said the authorities insisted that the powers of attorney had to be processed through the prescribed procedure.

The defence argued that the two lawyers were in judicial custody and had a legal right to appoint counsel of their choice.

Judge Sipra asked whether the powers of attorney had been properly attested. Defence lawyer Asif Tamboli said Imaan’s mother, Shireen Mazari, was present in court and could verify the relevant information.

The judge observed that a bail application could not proceed without the required signatures. Tamboli proposed that the court retain the documents and arrange their verification itself.

Judge Sipra said the court would look for a way to resolve the issue and directed jail authorities to explain why the detained lawyers had not been facilitated in signing the documents. He also questioned the prosecution about compliance with the relevant procedure.

During the proceedings, Shireen Mazari alleged that her daughter and son-in-law had been arrested from the office of the jail’s deputy superintendent (legal). She further alleged that the two lawyers were physically assaulted during their arrest.

Following the dispute over the powers of attorney, the defence filed proceedings against Adiala jail officials. The court issued notices and sought their response.

Supreme Court had suspended sentences

Imaan Mazari and Hadi Chattha were sentenced in January to 17 years in prison on several charges under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act in a case related to social media posts.

The Supreme Court last week suspended their sentences and granted them bail against surety bonds of Rs200,000 each. The order allowed their release pending a final decision by the Islamabad High Court on their appeals against the trial court’s verdict.

Their release, however, was followed by another arrest by Islamabad police in a separate case. They were subsequently presented before an anti-terrorism court, which sent them to jail on judicial remand.

The latest case was registered at Kohsar police station on March 22 last year on the complaint of City Magistrate Ghulam Murtaza Chandio.

The couple were accused of chanting slogans against the government and obstructing roads during a protest. Their names were included in the first information report. At the time the case was registered, however, no provision of the Anti-Terrorism Act had been included.