- SC declares petitions infructuous after couple’s convictions.
- Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar-led bench hears pleas.
- Lawyer couple has been in jail since arrest on January 23.
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday disposed of lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha’s appeals in the security breach case.
The development comes days after the lawyer couple filed appeals in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against their convictions by the anti-terrorism court in the security breach case.
Rawalpindi ATC on October 29 sentenced Mazari and Chattha to 10 years’ imprisonment and imposed fines of Rs100,000 each under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997, in the case.
The case, registered at Aabpara Police Station, stems from allegations that the lawyer couple posed a security risk by interfering in state affairs during the visit of an international cricket team in October 2024.
A three-member SC bench, headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, heard the lawyer couple’s appeals against an order by the IHC concerning their trial court proceedings.
The top court disposed of the petitions, stating the case has become infructuous in the Supreme Court and that the IHC will rule on the maintainability of the petitions.
The lawyer couple has been in custody since their arrest on January 23 this year in a case registered against them over a protest outside the IHC.
A day later, a sessions court sentenced them to 17 years on multiple charges under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) in a case related to controversial social media posts.
On September 17, following months of proceedings, the Supreme Court suspended the couple’s sentences in a case related to controversial tweets and granted them bail against surety bonds worth Rs200,000 each, until the final decision on the case pending before the IHC.
However, the relief was short-lived. Hours later, Islamabad police arrested the couple again in connection with another case and produced them before an anti-terrorism court (ATC).
According to the FIR, Mazari and her husband were accused of chanting anti-government slogans and blocking roads during a protest.
