An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Thursday sentenced lawyer and human rights activist Imaan Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, to 10 years in prison each in a security breach case linked to the visit of an international cricket team in October 2024.
ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra announced the verdict at Adiala jail in Rawalpindi.
The case, registered at Islamabad’s Aabpara Police Station on October 25, 2024, concerned allegations that the lawyer couple had posed a security risk by interfering in state affairs during the visiting team’s tour.
According to the court’s order, Mazari and Chattha were sentenced to two years’ imprisonment and fined Rs50,000 each under Section 353 of the Pakistan Penal Code.The court also awarded them one year’s imprisonment and an additional fine of Rs50,000 each under Section 186.
Under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, both were sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined Rs100,000 each. The court granted the convicts the benefit of Section 382 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
It further ruled that all sentences would run concurrently, meaning the couple would serve a total of 10 years in prison each.
Before the announcement of the verdict, defence counsel Aimal Mandokhail requested the court to defer its decision, arguing that petitions filed by the couple were still pending before the Supreme Court and the high court.”The decision should be postponed until the petitions pending before the Supreme Court and high court are decided,” the lawyer submitted.
The court, however, proceeded to announce its verdict.
Mazari and Chattha had earlier been indicted in the case on October 7.
