An Islamabad Additional District and Sessions Court on Thursday cancelled the arrest warrants issued against Advocate Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha in the controversial tweets case.The hearing was presided over by Judge Afzal Majoka, before whom both accused appeared during the proceedings. During the hearing, the court withdrew Hadi Ali Chattha’s non-bailable arrest warrants and also cancelled the warrants earlier issued for Imaan Mazari. 

Advocate Imaan Mazari requested time to formally appoint her legal representative, after which the court granted her until Saturday to submit her lawyer's power of attorney. During the hearing, arguments were also presented regarding the framing of charges and the appointment of state counsel. Advocate Samiullah Wazir submitted the power of attorney on behalf of Hadi Ali Chattha. Imaan Mazari argued that the case was progressing at an “unusually fast pace” and that her legal rights were being compromised.

“We are being denied due process; the court should read out the charge sheet to us,” she said. Judge Majoka responded that the court had already read out the charges three times in the presence of the lawyers. Regarding the issue of Chattha’s state counsel, the judge clarified, “The state counsel was not appointed by this court. The committee that made the appointment has the authority to remove him. Present your arguments regarding the state counsel on Saturday, and we will decide.” 

Subsequently, the hearing was adjourned until Saturday. During the previous hearing on November 5, both Advocates Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha had raised objections against Judge Afzal Majoka, accusing him of procedural misconduct in handling their case.  Mazari had claimed that the charge was never read out to her, even though the court record suggested otherwise. She urged the judge to review courtroom footage to verify her claim, but Judge Majoka maintained that the charge had been read several times and that her counsel had already entered a plea of not guilty on her behalf. 

During the same hearing, Hadi Ali Chattha informed the court that he had withdrawn the state counsel representing him, stating that “Advocate Asif Ali Tamboli will now represent me.” Hadi also alleged that the judge had issued arrest warrants against him despite his presence in court and that he had filed a formal misconduct complaint against the judge. Judge Majoka dismissed the allegations, telling Chattha, “You are mistaken; I will continue the proceedings.” The hearing was later adjourned to allow the new counsel to appear.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)