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Witness Examination Concludes in Case Against Imaan Mazari and Hadi Chattha
Witness statements wrapped up in the case against lawyer Imaan Mazari and husband Hadi Chattha after tense courtroom exchanges. Judge orders Section 342 questionnaire to be submitted by Dec 4.
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by Muhammad Hashir
2025-11-29
Witness Examination Concludes in Case Against Imaan Mazari and Hadi Chattha

A district and sessions court on Saturday concluded the examination of prosecution witnesses in the high-profile social media post case involving lawyer and human rights activist Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Advocate Hadi Ali Chattha.

The proceedings, held before Additional District and Sessions Judge Afzal Majoka, came after days of unease marked by disputes over legal representation and heated exchanges between defence lawyers and police officials.

During the previous hearing, the accused had raised objections over the disappearance of the court-appointed counsel handling their case and the appointment of a replacement. Just two days earlier, the earlier counsel had refused to cross-examine prosecution witnesses, stating that he could not pose “dictated” questions.

Five Witnesses Testify

Saturday’s hearing resumed with the state counsel pressing ahead with the witness examination process. The first witness, Anisur Rehman, completed his testimony, which set the foundation for the remainder of the session. Three additional witnesses — Shahroz, Waseem, and Imran Haider — recorded their statements smoothly and without interruption.

The final witness, Afzal, arrived late, prompting a stern warning from Judge Majoka, who cautioned that failure to appear would result in the closure of the evidence stage.

Courtroom tensions briefly surfaced as arguments broke out between police representatives and defence lawyers, reflecting the charged nature of the case.

Section 342 Questionnaire Ordered

Following the completion of witness statements, Judge Majoka directed the counsel to prepare and submit the Section 342 (Code of Criminal Procedure) questionnaire to the accused.
“You are being given the questionnaire. You have to submit your answer,” the judge instructed, noting that if the accused failed to respond, the counsel would be responsible for providing answers on their behalf.

The hearing was adjourned until December 4, with the judge ordering the prosecution to ensure the questionnaire is completed and submitted by that date.

Background of Case

The case against Mazari and Chattha stems from accusations that their social media posts attempted to incite linguistic divisions and create an impression that the country’s armed forces were involved in terrorist activities. Both have denied the allegations.
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PakistanCourts

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SocialMediaCase

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