Pakistan court defers decision on summoning army spokesperson as witness

A court in Pakistan deferred a decision on Wednesday on an application seeking to summon the military media wing's spokesperson as a witness in a controversial tweets case.

Additional Sessions Judge Afzal Majoka of the Islamabad court observed that after recording the statements of lawyers Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the court would determine whether the request to summon the DG ISPR as a witness is relevant or not.

The court ruled that until the statements under Section 342 were recorded, the application for summoning the DG ISPR as a witness will remain pending.

The court had earlier in the day reserved its decision on the application.

The request was filed by lawyers Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chathha, who are facing charges linked to online statements critical of state institutions.

Additional Sessions Judge Afzal Majoka heard arguments from both the defense and the prosecution during the hearing.

The prosecution opposed the application, arguing that summoning the Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations, or DG ISPR, was unnecessary and outside the scope of the trial.

After hearing both sides, the court reserved its ruling.

Allegations of prejudicial remarks

Earlier today, Mazari's co-accused and husband, Hadi Ali Chathha, submitted a petition requesting that the DG ISPR be summoned as a witness.

Mazari said the DG ISPR referred to her as a “lawyer of traitors” and accused her of being a foreign agent during official statements and a press briefing. She argued these remarks were intended to prejudice court proceedings and interfere with her constitutional right to a fair trial.

The application, filed under Section 540 of the Criminal Procedure Code, claims remarks made by Lt. Gen. Chaudhry on January 6, 2026, touched on matters currently under adjudication and could influence the ongoing criminal trial.

'Prejudicial public statements'

According to the petition, the DG ISPR allegedly called the accused a “human rights activist for suicide bombers” and said her “strings are controlled from abroad.” The defense said these assertions mirrored the prosecution’s narrative and were widely broadcast on national media, potentially shaping public perception.

The petition also alleges that the accused were warned before the registration of the FIR that punitive action would follow. It claims interference in the trial process, including undue influence over legal proceedings and reporting of developments to senior authorities. The defense noted that the Pakistan Army is the complainant in the case.

Mazari and Chathha emphasized that the accused face potential sentences of up to 14 years. The petition argued that summoning the DG ISPR for cross-examination is crucial to uphold natural justice and protect the right to a fair trial. It warned that failure to do so could cause irreparable harm and risk the proceedings being declared a mistrial due to “highly prejudicial and inflammatory” statements.