ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday suspended the physical remand of Imaan Mazari-Hazir and her spouse Hadi Ali Chattha.

An anti-terrorism court on Tuesday sent them on a three-day physical remand in the FIR registered against them for attempting to remove security barriers placed for the security of English cricket team.

IHC division bench comprising Chief Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz suspended the remand and issued a notice to the police, seeking a detailed response by Thursday (today).

The suspension came after a hearing held on Wednesday, during which advocate Qaiser Imam argued on behalf of Mazari and Chattha.

Imam contended that the three-day remand was excessive and legally unsubstantiated, prompting the court to take immediate action by temporarily halting the remand.

The IHC bench asked the police to explain the grounds for the physical remand and justify their actions.

The capital police on Monday arrested them on terrorism charges after the couple engaged in an altercation with the traffic police officials who had barricaded the route near Zero Point to ensure the safe movement of the English cricket team.

In light of the altercation, a case was registered at the Aabpara police station on Friday and the police arrested the couple on Monday while they were heading towards the Red Zone via Margalla Road.

The FIR was registered under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act along with sections 506 ii (punishment for criminal intimidation), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), and 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) of the PPC.

Meanwhile, in a statement posted on the X account of its South Asia regional office, Amnesty International on Wednesday said the recent “arrest and continued detention” of lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband Hadi Ali in a terrorism case was a “violation of their rights to due process”.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2024