Justice Muhammad Azam Khan announces the reserved verdict, rejecting the prosecution’s miscellaneous application that challenged the admissibility of the petitions
ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-July 25th, 2026) The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ruled that the sentence suspension petitions filed by lawyer Iman Mazari and former civil servant Hadi Ali Chattha in the controversial tweets case are maintainable, dismissing the prosecution’s objections.
Justice Muhammad Azam Khan announced the reserved verdict, rejecting the prosecution’s miscellaneous application that challenged the admissibility of the petitions.
The court held that both applications can proceed and will be heard on their merits.
The ruling was issued after the court had reserved its decision a day earlier, following detailed arguments from both the prosecution and the defence.
The prosecution had contended that the petitions seeking suspension of sentence were filed prematurely and therefore could not be entertained. However, the high court dismissed the objection, allowing the legal proceedings to move forward.
Earlier, an Islamabad trial court convicted Iman Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) in connection with controversial social media posts. Additional Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka sentenced both to a cumulative 17 years in prison.
Following the conviction, the two approached the Islamabad High Court, requesting the suspension of their sentences pending the outcome of their appeals. With the latest ruling, the court will now hear their pleas on merit.
