Islamabad Court Orders Arrest of Imaan Mazari and Husband After Repeated Absences

A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Saturday reissued non-bailable arrest warrants against activist Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, after they failed to appear in court for trial proceedings despite repeated notices.

The case, registered under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2016, alleges that the accused used social media to promote divisions on linguistic grounds and circulated content suggesting that Pakistan’s armed forces were involved in terrorism within the country.

Proceedings before Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka were held in three sittings at 9am, noon and 2pm. The accused were absent on all occasions. Certified copies of court orders dated January 17 noted that earlier arrest warrants could not be executed despite multiple attempts by law enforcement agencies and the National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency (NCCIA).

During the hearing, NCCIA officials informed the court that the accused had deliberately concealed themselves to evade arrest. Assistant Director Imran Haider submitted that the warrants were returned unexecuted for this reason.

Defence counsel Riasat Ali Azad sought an adjournment until Monday, stating that the accused had challenged the cancellation of their bail before the Islamabad High Court. While granting the adjournment, the court ordered that non-bailable warrants be reissued.

Judge Majoka directed the Islamabad Deputy Inspector General (Operations) and the Cyber Crime Reporting Centre in-charge to assign senior officers, not below the rank of superintendent of police or deputy director, to ensure execution of the warrants. The court further ordered that the accused may be produced via video link once arrested.

Earlier this week, the court had cancelled the bail of Imaan Mazari and Hadi Chattha due to repeated non-appearance, revoked their right to cross-examination, and ordered the recording of their statements under Section 342 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

The prosecution, led by Special Public Prosecutor Rana Usman, had opposed repeated adjournments. Court proceedings were briefly disrupted during a heated exchange between the prosecution and members of the defence, prompting the judge to temporarily rise from the bench.

The case originated from a complaint filed on August 12, 2025, with the NCCIA Islamabad. The FIR alleges that Mazari propagated content aligned with banned and hostile groups, while her husband allegedly amplified the material by reposting it. The posts reportedly accused security forces of involvement in enforced disappearances in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

The matter is scheduled to be taken up again on Monday, subject to the execution of the arrest warrants.