Islamabad Court Orders Jail Trial for Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha in Barrier Case
ISLAMABAD, October 15: An anti-terrorism court in Islamabad has issued a notification for the jail trial of human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband, advocate Hadi Ali Chattha, in a case concerning the alleged removal of security barriers.
According to 24NewsHD, the notification was issued by the Ministry of Law, and the next hearing is scheduled to take place at Adiala Jail on Friday. The court has directed lawyers and witnesses to appear at the prison for the proceedings.
The case was registered at Islamabad’s Aabpara Police Station and concerns allegations linked to the removal of security barriers put in place during the visit of an international cricket team.
Court proceedings to move to Adiala Jail
The notification formalises arrangements for proceedings to be conducted inside the prison rather than at the regular courtroom venue. The court has adjourned the matter until the next hearing, when lawyers and prosecution witnesses are expected to attend.
The development follows previous hearings in which the accused and their defence team raised objections about access to legal counsel and their participation in court proceedings.
The decision comes amid continuing legal proceedings against the couple in multiple cases. Mazari and Chattha have disputed the allegations against them; the charges in the barrier case have not been established as proven facts.
Defence raises fair-trial concerns
During an earlier hearing on October 10, the court disposed of an application seeking removal of terrorism-related provisions from the case. Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra said the petition could not be heard at that stage.
Defence lawyers Zainab Janjua and Aimal Khan boycotted the proceedings. Janjua also referred to a report from jail officials stating that Islamabad Police had not provided security for the couple’s transfer to court.
She argued that the state was seeking to record prosecution testimony while failing to ensure the accused could attend proceedings, raising concerns about their right to a fair trial.
In separate proceedings earlier in the week, the court directed jail authorities to facilitate meetings between Mazari, Chattha and their lawyers. The order followed concerns that the defence team had been unable to consult its clients adequately while preparing their case. <Cite refs={[“turn660086search0″,”turn660086search1”]}/>
Background of the barrier-removal case
The prosecution’s case relates to allegations that the couple interfered with security arrangements during the visit of an international cricket team to Islamabad. Both were indicted in the case in early October and opposed the framing of charges, according to published court reports.
The defence has raised objections concerning access to case documents, meetings with lawyers and the accused persons’ appearance before the court.
These objections form part of the ongoing proceedings and should be distinguished from a final judicial determination of the charges.
Next hearing scheduled for Friday
The next hearing is expected to take place at Adiala Jail on October 16, with lawyers and witnesses directed to attend.
The proceedings will determine the next stage of the trial under the new arrangements. Further details, including how the defence will participate and whether additional objections will be raised, remain to be seen.
Editorial note: The jail-trial notification and scheduled venue are reported by 24NewsHD. Allegations against Mazari and Chattha remain allegations, and the court has not reached a final verdict in this case.
