Pakistani court grants transit bail to lawyer Imaan Mazari and husband
Peshawar High Court granted bail to the lawyer couple, who feared arrest while traveling to Islamabad for their court cases
Kamran Ali
Correspondent Nukta
Kamran Ali, a seasoned journalist from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, has a decade of experience covering terrorism, human rights, politics, economy, climate change, culture, and sports. With an MS in Media Studies, he has worked across print, radio, TV, and digital media, producing investigative reports and co-hosting shows that highlight critical issues.
A file photo of Imaan Mazari with her husband Hadi Ali Chatha.
Courtesy: X
A Pakistani court has granted transit bail to human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, in cases tied to controversial social media posts allegedly targeting state institutions and a separate terrorism-related case registered in Islamabad.
Transit bail is a temporary legal relief that protects an accused from arrest while traveling to the court where their case is lodged. In this instance, the couple sought protection so they could appear before courts in Islamabad.
On Tuesday, Mazari and Chattha filed a petition before the Peshawar High Court through their lawyer, Attaullah Kundi, and appeared in person.
Chief Justice Attique Shah took up the matter the same day and, after hearing arguments, granted them bail until October 9, directing both to appear before the relevant Islamabad court.
Their counsel argued that the applicants, both practicing lawyers, intended to appear before the trial court but feared arrest en route - a concern the bench acknowledged in granting protective bail.
PHC chief justice’s light exchange with Mazari
During the proceedings, Chief Justice Shah asked Mazari if it was her first appearance in Peshawar. When she confirmed, he remarked lightheartedly: “Well, at least this case brought you to Peshawar - you people hardly ever come to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).”
Her lawyer added that Mazari has long been a voice for marginalized communities in KP and Balochistan and is committed to seeking justice through legal means.
The development follows escalating legal pressure. Just a day earlier, Islamabad’s Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Mazari and Chattha, ordering authorities to produce them in court on September 24.
The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) had registered a case against the couple, alleging they posted “anti-state” content online.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), the posts accused the armed forces of backing terrorism, raised concerns about enforced disappearances in Balochistan and KP, and claimed the military had failed to dismantle groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
This case coincides with broader legal turmoil.
On September 19, another terrorism-related FIR was filed against several lawyers - including Mazari, Chattha, Zainab Janjua, Intezar Hussain Panjotha, Naeem Panjotha, and Fateh Ullah Burki - after violent clashes outside the Islamabad High Court. The protests followed what lawyers described as an "unconstitutional" ruling by a division bench in the Justice Jahangiri case.
Comments
See what people are discussing