ISLAMABAD: Lawyers representing human rights activists and lawyers Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha, along with Shireen Mazari, boycotted proceedings of an anti-terrorism court on Wednesday after the judge decided to record prosecution witnesses’ statements despite the defence’s request to defer the exercise until they could meet the accused.

The court subsequently recorded statements of three witnesses in the absence of the accused and their counsel, taking the total number of witnesses examined so far in the case to six.

ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra recorded the statements after the accused, their counsel and Shireen Mazari, a former minister and Ms Imaan’s mother, boycotted the proceedings and walked out of the courtroom over the court’s decision to proceed with the recording of testimony.

During the hearing, Aimal Khan Mandokhail, counsel for Imaan and Hadi, informed the court that he had visited Adiala jail but could not meet his clients despite having a court order permitting the meeting.

He said it was a designated meeting day for lawyers, but roads had been blocked around one-and-a-half kilometres away from the jail.

A court official infor­m­­ed the judge that the jail auth­orities had conveyed that the accused would be produced through a video link.

Mr Mandokhail reques­ted the court to ensure physical appearance of the accused. The judge observed that reports had been received from the police and jail authorities indicating that a special vehicle was not available for their transportation.

Prosecutor Raja Naveed Hussain Kiyani requested the court to record the witnesses’ statements on the day. The judge agreed, saying the matter of cross-examination could be taken up later.

Mr Mandokhail clarified that his instructions concerned cross-examination and said there were no specific directions from the lead counsel regarding the recording of the witnesses’ statements.

He said that they should meet the accused before the proceedings continued.

Hadi Ali Chattha also requested the court to summon the accused to the courtroom, while Imaan Mazari urged that their privacy be respected, observing that conversations in the meeting area were recorded.

He maintained that the accused were the primary stakeholders in the proceedings and had a legal right to be heard.

He said the court had stressed the need to satisfy all stakeholders.

When the recording of the witnesses’ statements began, the defence lawyers and Shireen Mazari walked out in protest. Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha’s counsel also left the courtroom.

The court subsequently recorded the witnesses’ statements in the absence of the accused and their lawyers.

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2026