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ISLAMABAD: A district court on Thursday cancelled the bail of lawyer and activist Imaan Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, in a case related to controversial social media posts after repeated non-appearances.
It also directed the National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to arrest the couple and produce them before the court, adjourning the hearing until Friday (today).
It also ordered that their statements under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) be recorded through video link.
The case, registered under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 (Peca), accuses the two of inciting divisions on linguistic grounds through social media posts and creating the impression that the armed forces were engaged in terrorism within the country.
Thursday’s hearing was conducted by Additional District and Sessions Judge Mohammed Afzal Majoka, with Prosecutor Rana Usman representing the state.
At the outset, neither Ms Mazari nor Mr Chattha appeared before the court. An assistant counsel sought an exemption for Ms Mazari, submitting that Mr Chattha was engaged in proceedings related to a contempt case before the high court.
The court expressed displeasure over their absence and noted that the request would be considered later.
Judge Majoka warned that failure to appear would result in the revocation of their right to cross-examination. The hearing was initially adjourned until 12 noon.
When proceedings resumed, Mr Chattha appeared and informed the judge that Ms Mazari wished to personally cross-examine the prosecution witness, Shahroz.
The judge directed them to complete the cross-examination, warning that failure to do so would lead to termination of that right.
Islamabad District Bar Association President Chaudhry Naeem Gujjar appeared in the court and requested that the matter be fixed for Monday, stating that Ms Mazari was unwell but still wished to conduct the cross-examination herself. The prosecutor opposed any adjournment and urged the court to proceed immediately.
The courtroom atmosphere turned tense after a heated exchange between Mr Gujjar and Mr Usman, leading to chaos. Judge Majoka then rose from the bench and ordered a break.
After the break, the couple again failed to appear. The prosecutor alleged misconduct in the courtroom and questioned the conduct of the bar association president.
Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2026
