ISLAMABAD: A local court on Thursday cancelled the bail plea of human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari and her husband, Advocate Hadi Ali Chattha, terminating their right to cross-examine witnesses in a case related to a controversial social media post. Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka, while hearing a case registered under Sections 9, 10, 11 and 26-A of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), issued arrest warrants for the couple over alleged anti-state remarks made on social media. The court directed the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to arrest the accused and produce them before the court. According to the warrants, the accused are to be kept in judicial custody after arrest. The court further restrained the NCCIA from presenting them in person and ordered that they be produced before the court through video link. The judge also ruled that statements of the accused under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) would be recorded at the next hearing, scheduled for Friday (today). Earlier during the hearing, an application seeking exemption from appearance for Imaan Mazari was filed by her associate, who informed the court that Hadi Ali Chattha was appearing in another case related to contempt of the Islamabad High Court (IHC). Expressing displeasure over the absence of the accused, the judge remarked that the exemption request would be considered later, warning that he did not appear, their right to cross-examine witnesses would be forfeited. After the brief recess, Hadi Ali Chattha appeared before the court. He informed the judge that Mazari wanted to personally cross-examine prosecution witness Shehroz and had some questions she wanted to ask herself. The judge directed that the cross-examination of the witness be completed, warning that failure to do so would result in the termination of the right of cross-examination. Subsequently, Islamabad Bar Association (IBA) President Chaudhry Naeem Gujar appeared in court and requested that the case be adjourned until Monday, assuring the court that no further adjournments would be sought. He stated that Mazari was unwell but wanted to personally conduct the cross-examination. The prosecution opposed any adjournment, with Prosecutor Rana Usman requesting the court to administer the oath to the witness and begin cross-examination immediately. This led to a heated exchange between IBA President Naeem Gujar and Prosecutor Rana Usman inside the courtroom, during which harsh and threatening remarks were exchanged. Take the oath, let me see how you take it, Naeem Gujar, adding that he is the IBA president, not your father’s servant. He further said that take the oath — I will send you after breaking legs. As tensions escalated between IBA president and prosecutor, the judge left the courtroom and went to his chambers, and the hearing was temporarily suspended. After the break, Mazari and her husband did not appear before the court. The prosecutor alleged that an officer of the court was physically threatened and questioned whether IBA president was acting as a bar president or a goon. The court cancelled bail application of the accused. The court ordered the arrest of the accused and directed that they be produced before the court. The court also terminated the accused’s right to cross-examine witnesses. The court adjourned hearing of the case till Friday (today). Copyright Business Recorder, 2026