Imaan Mazari, husband get two-day protective bail in terrorism case

ISLAMABAD: Lawyer and rights activist Imaan Mazari and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha on Wednesday secured two-day protective bail from the Islamabad High Court in a case registered under terrorism and attempted murder charges.

Justice Muhammad Azam Khan approved the bail plea against surety bonds of Rs10,000 each and directed the couple to appear before the relevant court within two days.

The case pertains to a first information report registered at Kohsar Police Station on October 27, 2025, in connection with a protest by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee at the National Press Club. The FIR includes anti-terror provisions, Section 8 of the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act 2024, and multiple sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, including attempted murder, dacoity, rioting with deadly weapons, mischief, wrongful restraint, and assault on public servants.

According to the FIR, Mazari allegedly attacked lady police constables with a stick, injured them, snatched riot shields and vandalised public vehicles. It further alleges that Chattha, armed with a pistol, opened fire at a police constable with intent to kill, missed the target and issued threats while brandishing the weapon.

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During the hearing, the couple’s counsel Kamran Murtaza told the court that Mazari had appeared before courts multiple times in relation to an earlier FIR linked to the same incident. He argued that if the authorities intended to arrest her, they could have done so earlier. He also rejected the allegation of firing, saying the accused had not even handled a pistol.

Murtaza also referred to the couple spending the night at the Islamabad High Court Bar Association president’s office, saying it was the first time a woman had stayed overnight in court premises.

The court granted protective bail to Mazari and Chattha in the stated case only.