Key points

  • The Supreme Court disposed of appeals filed by lawyer Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha regarding their security breach case, Geo News reported.
  • A three-member bench headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar observed that the petitions had become infructuous.
  • The development follows the couple's recent approach to the Islamabad High Court against their anti-terrorism court convictions.

Legal proceedings for lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha took a fresh procedural turn as the Supreme Court disposed of their petitions concerning a high-profile security breach case, according to Geo News. The three-member bench, headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, ruled that the matter before the apex court had become infructuous, leaving the Islamabad High Court to decide on the maintainability of the couple's challenges against their trial proceedings.

Key Details

According to Geo News, the Supreme Court's decision arrived days after the lawyer couple filed appeals in the Islamabad High Court against convictions handed down by an anti-terrorism court. The Rawalpindi anti-terrorism court had previously sentenced both individuals to 10 years of imprisonment and imposed fines of Rs100,000 each under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, as reported by Geo News. The underlying case, registered at the Aabpara Police Station, involves allegations that the couple posed a security risk by interfering in state affairs during an international cricket team's visit in October 2024.

Context and Impact

The legal troubles of the couple span multiple judicial forums and several charges. Geo News reported that the pair has remained in custody since their arrest on January 23 in connection with a protest outside the Islamabad High Court. Subsequent legal battles involved separate sentences under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act related to social media posts, for which the Supreme Court had previously suspended sentences and granted bail in September before subsequent arrests tied the couple to fresh anti-terrorism proceedings involving allegations of blocking roads and anti-government sloganeering.

Summary and What Next

With the apex court disposing of the current petitions, the legal focus shifts entirely to the Islamabad High Court, which is expected to rule on the maintainability of the couple's appeals against their anti-terrorism court convictions. Further hearings and determinations will depend upon the upcoming decisions of the high court regarding the trial proceedings.