ISLAMABAD: Lawyers Imaan Maza­­ri and Hadi Ali Chattha have moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking an early hearing of their applications for suspension of sentence in the controversial social media posts case after the court rejected the prosecution’s objections to the maintainability of their petitions.

The applications, filed through Advo­cates Faisal Siddiqui and Zainab Janjua, requested the court to fix the suspension of sentence petitions for hearing during the week commencing July 27.

The applicants stated that their petitions were initially fixed for hearing on July 24, when the prosecution raised objections, arguing that the applications were premature and therefore not maintainable. They submitted that the IHC has since dismissed the prosecution’s objections, removing the hurdle to hearing the suspension of sentence pleas on merits.

They requested the court to schedule the hearing at the earliest in light of the recent order.

Last week, Justice Muhammad Azam Khan held the petitions seeking suspension of their sentence admissible.

The suspension of sentence applications arises from appeals filed against the conviction of the lawyer couple in the controversial social media posts case.

On Jan 24, a sessions court in Islam­abad sentenced both lawyers to a combined 17 years’ imprisonment on multiple charges under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca).

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2026