Ten years behind bars and a courtroom echoing with legal arguments mark a turning point for lawyer and human rights activist Imaan Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha. According to Geo News, an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi handed down the decade-long prison sentence to the couple in a security breach case stemming from an international cricket team's visit in October 2024.
Geo News reported that the verdict was announced by ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra at Adiala Jail. The court sentenced the couple to two years' imprisonment and fined them Rs50,000 under Section 353, while Section 186 carries a one-year term and an additional Rs50,000 fine. Under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, they received 10 years each alongside Rs100,000 fines. The court granted the defendants the benefit of Section 382, ruling that all sentences will run concurrently for a total of 10 years.
Defence counsel Aimal Mandokhail argued before the court that the decision should be postponed because petitions remained pending before the Supreme Court and high court, noting that an application to transfer the case was also pending, as reported by Geo News. During the trial, the prosecution presented seven witnesses, and a court-appointed state counsel, Atif Mahmood, cross-examined them.
Background
According to Geo News, the case was registered at the Aabpara Police Station on October 25, 2024, following allegations that the lawyer couple posed a security risk by interfering in state affairs during an international cricket team's visit. The court indicted Mazari and Chattha on October 7. The couple has maintained that the cases against them are retaliatory measures for their human rights work and free legal services. In her statement recorded under Section 342, Mazari alleged she was rearrested at Adiala Jail after being subjected to violence despite securing Supreme Court bail. The couple had recently approached the Supreme Court to challenge an Islamabad High Court order refusing them interim relief regarding terrorism-related provisions.
Why it matters
For legal observers and ordinary citizens in Pakistan, the case highlights the complex intersections between state security, legal activism, and the judicial process. The proceedings involve substantial debates over jurisdiction, pending high court and Supreme Court petitions, and the application of anti-terrorism laws to civic actions, setting a significant precedent for public legal disputes.