Daily Times

The Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) granted bail to human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband Hadi Ali on a bail bond of Rs20,000, it emerged on Thursday.

The couple was arrested on Monday by the Islamabad police for allegedly “creating a security risk” during the England cricket team’s visit by removing road barriers.

A video, shared on social media on October 25, purportedly showed Imaan and Ali moving road barriers to clear the path for traffic.

Earlier in the day, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) struck down the three-day physical remand handed down by ATC on Tuesday. It also ordered the duo to be sent to jail on a 14-day judicial remand.

On Wednesday, human rights organisation Amnesty International said the duo’s “arrest and continued detention” was a “violation of their rights to due process”.

It highlighted that the charges of terrorism were “not commensurate with any offences the lawyers are alleged to have committed. “Such action by the authorities is excessive, disproportionate and in violation of Pakistan’s obligations under international law,” Amnesty said.

Thursday’s case was heard by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz, while the couple’s lawyers Qaiser Imam and Zainab Janjua appeared in the court.

The court directed the prosecutor to read the remand application, after which Justice Farooq asked whether he thought the remand order was fine. The prosecutor affirmed that it was.

“According to the Lahore High Court guidelines, remand orders are like this,” the chief justice said.

Imam chimed in to say that the physical remand was suspended yesterday (Wednesday) but the status has not been cleared yet.

“We should issue a short order to send them on judicial remand,” Farooq said, following which the court ordered Imaan and Ali to be sent to jail on judicial remand.

The court then struck down the couple’s physical remand, saying “the ATC’s judge did not give concrete reasons for the physical remand.”