ISLAMABAD — An anti-terrorism court in Islamabad on Saturday issued a contempt of court show-cause notice to the superintendent of Adiala Jail after lawyer and human rights activist Imaan Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, were not produced through video link despite explicit court orders.
Court Orders Defied as Jail Officials Fail to Appear
ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Supra was hearing bail applications filed by the couple in a case registered at the Secretariat Police Station. The court had directed jail authorities to present Mazari and Chattha via video link during Saturday’s proceedings.
However, the accused were not produced, with jail authorities citing internet connectivity problems. The court was also informed that the signed powers of attorney of both accused had not been provided, and no jail official appeared before the court.
Judge Rejects Repeated Internet Excuses
Judge Supra remarked that authorities had repeatedly cited internet problems and noted that he had earlier directed Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited and National Telecommunication Corporation to send technical experts to the jail. He added that experts had also been ordered to be dispatched from Haripur to resolve the issue.
During the hearing, the judge questioned whether the deputy superintendent had collected the powers of attorney from the sessions court. Lawyer Riasat Ali replied that he was unaware whether the documents had been collected after being submitted to the sessions court for dispatch to the jail.
Court Warns of Six-Month Sentence
The judge observed that receiving powers of attorney was a basic right of an accused and said the jail superintendent should neither put the courts in a difficult position nor place himself in such a position.
The court subsequently issued a contempt of court show-cause notice to the Adiala Jail superintendent, asking why he should not be sentenced to six months in prison.
Shireen Mazari Present at Proceedings
Imaan Mazari’s mother, Shireen Mazari, and a number of lawyers were also present during the proceedings.
Judge Tahir Abbas Supra adjourned the hearing until Tuesday.
