ISLAMABAD – The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has declared the sentence suspension petitions filed by lawyer Iman Mazari and former civil servant Hadi Ali Chattha in the controversial tweets case maintainable, rejecting the prosecution’s objections.
Justice Muhammad Azam Khan announced the reserved verdict on Saturday, dismissing the prosecution’s miscellaneous application that challenged the maintainability of the petitions. The court ruled that both convicts are entitled to have their applications for suspension of sentence heard on merit.
The verdict came a day after the IHC reserved its decision following arguments from both sides.
The prosecution had argued that the petitions were filed prematurely and should not be entertained by the court. However, the IHC rejected the objection and allowed the sentence suspension applications to proceed.
Earlier, an Islamabad trial court convicted Iman Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha in a case registered under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) over controversial social media posts. Additional Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka sentenced both to a cumulative 17 years in prison.
Following their conviction, Mazari and Chattha approached the Islamabad High Court seeking suspension of their sentences while their appeals are heard. The latest ruling clears the way for the court to consider those requests on their merits.
