IHC Orders Re-recording of Witness Statements in Controversial Social Media Case Against Imaan Mazari-Hazir, Hadi Ali Chattha
Islamabad, December 16, 2025: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday directed the trial court to record the statements of witnesses afresh within three days in the high-profile social media posts case involving rights activist Imaan Mazari-Hazir and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha.
The directives were issued by Justice Mohammed Azam Khan while hearing a petition filed by Mazari challenging the trial court’s November 19 order, which had recorded testimonies of all prosecution witnesses. At that hearing, Chattha appeared in person, while Mazari was represented by her lawyers. The trial court had ordered the prosecution to proceed with the witnesses’ statements despite objections.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, Justice Khan clarified that the case was being referred back to the trial court for procedural compliance and that the order did not touch upon the merits of the case.
Defence counsel Riasat Ali Azad highlighted that senior advocate Faisal Siddiqui had submitted his power of attorney but was engaged in cases in Lahore, requesting a hearing after court vacations. He further noted that the Supreme Court (SC) had previously called for an early decision in the matter, though without a specific timeframe, and had stayed trial proceedings until the pending appeals were decided by the IHC.
Azad also argued that the accused were entitled to full protection under Article 10A of the Constitution, guaranteeing the right to a fair trial, and raised concerns that the record had not been properly provided. He stressed that witness statements should be recorded in the presence of the accused.
The prosecutor, Raja Naveed, responded that the complete record was available before the court and noted that the conduct of the accused during proceedings was also a relevant factor.
The case originates from a complaint filed on August 12, 2025, by the assistant director of the National Cybercrime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), Islamabad, under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). The complaint alleges that Imaan disseminated content “propagating narratives aligned with hostile terrorist groups and proscribed organisations,” while her husband was implicated for reposting some of her posts.
The trial court has been instructed to comply with the IHC’s directives and re-record the witness statements within three days.
