SC adjourns hearing on Imaan, Hadi's plea against IHC decision on sentence suspension
ISLAMABAD: As the Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday adjourned the hearing in the controversial social media posts case against Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha, senior lawyers and well-wishers celebrated incarcerated Imaan’s birthday...
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned a hearing on the plea filed by rights lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha against an Islamabad High Court decision that had refused to suspend their sentences in the controversial social media posts case.
A three-judge bench headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar took up the applications after the court had earlier issued notices on the couple’s request for an early hearing. The bench, however, put off further proceedings after being informed that the Islamabad High Court has already fixed the matter for July 24.
During the hearing, Justice Mazhar said the Supreme Court could not regulate proceedings of the high court. Counsel Faisal Siddiqi, appearing for the couple, argued that the apex court has in other matters issued directions affecting high court proceedings. The bench responded that there was a difference between regulating a case and issuing orders.
The additional attorney general told the court that the case before the Islamabad High Court had been listed for July 24. Siddiqi, however, said the hearing had been scheduled because of the proceedings in the Supreme Court. He also argued that an earlier hearing had been postponed on the prosecution’s request.
Siddiqi asked the bench either to hear arguments on the legal question of admissibility or to grant a two-week adjournment. The court declined, saying such a step would amount to monitoring the high court’s proceedings. It said the lawyers could move for an early hearing if an emergency arose.
Outside the courtroom, lawyers and well-wishers marked Imaan Mazari-Hazir’s birthday. Siddiqi, along with former minister and her mother Shireen Mazari, cut a chocolate cake. Rights activists Afrasiab Khattak, Farhatullah Babar and Tahir Abdullah, along with other lawyers, were present.
The report is based on a monitored public feed from Dawn Home. It relates to a case that began with a complaint under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act over social media posts attributed to Mazari and reposts by Chattha. According to the feed summary, the pair have been in jail since January 23 in a separate case linked to protests outside the Islamabad High Court.
Source: Dawn Home - https://www.dawn.com/news/2017251/sc-adjourns-hearing-on-imaan-hadis-plea-against-ihc-decision-on-sentence-suspension
