Islamabad ATC grants bail to Imaan, Hadi in police altercation case

ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad on Tuesday granted bail to lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, in a case registered against them for allegedly blocking a road outside the National Press Club and engaging in an altercation with police.

ATC Judge Abual Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain announced the decision after hearing the bail applications. The police also produced the case record before the court during the proceedings.

When defence counsel Riasat Ali Azad informed the court that the record had been received that day, the judge remarked that he would have shown the police the consequences of failing to produce it on Tuesday.

The judge then asked the applicants if they had anything to say before announcing that their bail applications had been accepted.

The court granted bail to both accused against surety bonds of Rs5,000 each.

The judge also said he would examine the matter regarding the show-cause notice issued to the police over the delay in producing the case record.

Last week, an ATC sentenced Imaan and Hadi to 10 years in prison each in the security breach case.

The court also handed down one-year sentences and imposed fines of Rs50,000 each under Section 186 (obstructing a public servant in the discharge of public functions) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

They were also sentenced to two years each under Section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty) of the PPC.

Jailed, sentenced, re-arrested

The couple has been in jail since their arrest on Jan 23 in a case registered against them for protesting outside the IHC and allegedly manhandling the IHC Bar Association president. The arrest prompted criticism by rights bodies, politicians and journalists, who stressed the couple’s right to a fair trial.

Just a day later, a sessions court sentenced them to 17 years on multiple charges under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act in the controversial social media posts case. The convictions were widely condemned by lawyers and United Nations (UN) experts.

On September 17, following months of litigation before the courts, the SC suspended their sentences in the case. The SC ordered their release pending the IHC’s final verdict on their appeals against the trial court’s decision.

However, the reprieve was short-lived as hours later, Islamabad police arrested the couple again in connection with the security breach case. The case was registered at the federal capital’s Kohsar police station on March 22 last year on the complaint of City Magistrate Ghulam Murtaza Chandio.