NCCIA moves Supreme Court to withdraw order in Imaan Mazari case

Islamabad: The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has approached the Supreme Court seeking withdrawal of its May 12 order that directed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to decide on suspension of sentences pleas filed by lawyer and rights activist Imaan Mazari and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha.

The case relates to convictions in a matter involving controversial social media posts, where both individuals were sentenced earlier this year.

In January, a district and sessions court in Islamabad sentenced Imaan Mazari and husband to 17 years imprisonment each under various sections of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), shortly after their arrest in a separate case. Following the verdict, both moved the Islamabad High Court in February challenging their convictions and seeking suspension of their sentences.

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The NCCIA has now requested the Supreme Court to withdraw its earlier directive that had instructed the IHC to decide on the suspension pleas, effectively seeking a reversal of procedural orders in the case.

The legal proceedings come amid ongoing debates surrounding the application of cybercrime laws in Pakistan and their use in cases involving online speech and digital expression.

Further hearings and judicial decisions are expected as the matter progresses through the higher courts.