The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday granted protective bail to lawyer and rights activist Imaan Mazari and her husband, Advocate Hadi Ali Chattha.

The petition for protective bail was heard by Justice Azam Khan, following a case registered against the couple at Kohsar Police Station.

Senator Kamran Murtaza appeared on behalf of the petitioners and argued that this was the first time a woman had spent an entire night within the Islamabad High Court premises in a bid to seek protection from arrest.

He questioned the conduct of the Islamabad Police, asking why the authorities had not arrested his clients earlier if the case had already been registered. He noted that the police moved only after the IHC had already declared the arrest warrants in a separate controversial tweet case as null and void.

Concerns over arrest from court premises

Addressing the court, Senator Murtaza urged Justice Azam Khan to ensure that no arrest was made from the court premises.

He maintained that his clients were law-abiding citizens and not enemies of the state, adding that they enjoyed the same constitutional rights as any other Pakistani, including members of the judiciary.

The counsel further stated that the case had been registered last year and that Mazari and her husband had been appearing before various courts during this period. If the police intended to arrest them, he argued, they could have done so earlier.

Court’s observations and order

Justice Azam Khan observed that the court’s authority was limited to the matter before it and that orders could only be issued within that scope.

Subsequently, the court granted protective bail to Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha, requiring sureties of Rs10,000 each, and restrained the Islamabad Police from arresting them in the case for the time being.

A large number of lawyers were present in the courtroom during the hearing, reflecting strong interest in the case and solidarity with the petitioners.