ISLAMABAD – A local court in the federal capital on Thursday indicted activist and lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, in a case related to a controversial tweet allegedly aimed at inciting divisions on linguistic grounds.
Both appeared before Additional Sessions Judge Afzal Majoka, where they denied all charges. The court instructed the prosecution to ensure the presence of all witnesses at the next hearing and adjourned proceedings until November 5.
During the hearing, Judge Majoka also directed Chattha to resubmit his surety bonds. The couple’s appearance followed the issuance of an arrest warrant for Chattha after he skipped a previous court session earlier in the day, leading to his arrest by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) on Wednesday night.
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The FIR, registered by the NCCIA, accused Mazari and Chattha of attempting to incite divisions on linguistic grounds through their social media activity. The case was filed under Sections 9, 10, 11, and 26 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016.
This is not the couple’s first encounter with law enforcement. In October 2024, they were arrested for allegedly interfering in government operations by removing road barriers during the England cricket team’s visit to Islamabad — an act described by authorities as creating a security risk. A video circulating on social media showed them moving barriers to clear traffic.
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Earlier, in August 2023, Mazari had been arrested alongside former lawmaker Ali Wazir in a sedition case. Although she secured bail, she was rearrested outside Adiala Jail in connection with a separate terrorism case before eventually being released on September 2, 2023, after an Islamabad anti-terrorism court granted her post-arrest bail.
The court will resume proceedings next month to record witness statements and continue the trial.