A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Thursday revoked the bail of lawyer and activist Imaan Mazari and her husband, Advocate Hadi Ali Chattha, in a high-profile case related to a controversial tweet.
The court also ended the couple’s right to cross-examine witnesses in the ongoing trial.
Additional Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka ordered the immediate arrest of both accused and their production before the court. Statements under Section 342 of the Code of Criminal Procedure are scheduled to be recorded on Friday.
Mazari and Chattha are facing charges under Sections 9, 10, 11, and 26 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca), 2016, following a case registered by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).
They were formally indicted on October 30.
During Thursday’s hearing, Imaan Mazari failed to appear in court. Her defense counsel requested exemption from personal appearance citing medical reasons, but the judge expressed strong displeasure and warned that failure to appear could result in forfeiting the right to cross-examine witnesses.
Both Mazari and Chattha did not attend when the hearing resumed, prompting the court to terminate their right to cross-examination.
The defense had argued that Imaan wished to personally cross-examine a key witness, Shehroz, in the next hearing, but the court insisted the process must proceed without delay.
