ATC delays Imaan, Hadi’s indictment in security breach case

An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad postponed the indictment proceedings against lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, due to their inability to attend because of a power outage. The court was set to frame charges against the pair in a case registered at Aabpara Police Station. The allegations include disrupting the security route of an international cricket team and inciting public unrest.

During the hearing, prosecutor Raja Naveed presented the case, while junior lawyers represented the accused due to their lead counsel's absence at the High Court. They requested an adjournment and copies of the challan. The judge noted that copies had already been provided and that the court planned to frame charges that day. However, a junior lawyer complained about not being allowed to meet their clients.

Despite the judge's order to frame charges, the proceedings were briefly adjourned as the accused could not be produced through video link due to a power outage at Adiala jail. The judge instructed jail authorities to ensure the accused's presence in the next hearing, threatening contempt of court proceedings if compliance did not occur.