A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Thursday rejected a petition filed by lawyer and human rights activist Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir, seeking her acquittal in a controversial social media posts case.
Justice Muhammad Afzal Majoka, presiding over the proceedings, also rejected an application filed by Mazari and her husband, co-accused Hadi Ali Chattha, challenging the appointment of a lawyer by the State to represent them in the case registered with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).
Both have been accused of attempting to incite divisions on linguistic grounds through social media posts and creating the impression that the military was involved in terrorism within the country.
In today’s hearing, Mazari and Chattha, along with lawyer Sher Afzal Marwat, Islamabad Bar Council president Naeem Ali Gujjar, Islamabad Bar Council member Raja Aleem Abbasi and other legal representatives, appeared before the court.
The court’s earlier orders were read to Marwat, who presented arguments challenging the State’s appointment of counsel to represent Mazari and Chattha.
More to follow
