ATC issues contempt notice to Adiala superintendent over failure to facilitate Imaan, Hadi’s powers of attorney

An anti-terrorism court issued a contempt notice to the Adiala jail superintendent on Saturday for allegedly not allowing the signing and transmission of powers of attorney for detainees Imaan Zainab Hazir-Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha. The court dismissed bail petitions filed by human rights lawyers Imaan and Hadi in connection with a protest at Kohsar police station.

During the hearing, ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra ordered the jail superintendent to explain why he should not face a six-month prison sentence for allegedly disobeying court orders. No representative from Adiala jail attended the proceedings, and the two accused were not produced via video link, despite a previous court directive.

Dr. Shireen Mazari, Imaan's mother, and numerous lawyers were present. The judge expressed frustration over Adiala jail's failure to obtain Imaan and Hadi's signatures on the powers of attorney, which are necessary to authorize lawyers to represent them in bail proceedings. The judge questioned whether the deputy superintendent had collected the documents from the sessions court on the relevant day.

Advocate Riasat Ali Azad stated uncertainty regarding whether the documents were collected, noting that lawyers had submitted the powers of attorneys to Adiala jail following court orders. The court staff informed the judge that Imaan and Hadi were not being shown via video link due to an ongoing internet connectivity issue at the jail.

The judge's dissatisfaction with this explanation led him to direct PTCL and NTC experts to Haripur to resolve the connectivity problem. The ATC adjourned further proceedings until Tuesday, and on January 24, Imaan and Hadi were sentenced to 17 years in jail on various charges under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act. However, the Supreme Court suspended their sentences on September 17, granting bail against a Rs200,000 surety bond and releasing them pending the verdict of the Islamabad High Court.

Shortly after their release, police escorted by the SSP Operations arrested the couple again in relation to the Kohsar police station protest case and sent them to Adiala jail for judicial remand.