Show Cause Notice Issued to Superintendent of Adiala Jail Over Failure to Present Imaan Mazari and Haadi Ali via Video Link
A special anti-terrorism court has issued a show cause notice to the Superintendent of Adiala Jail after Imaan Mazari and her husband, Haadi Ali, were not presented in court via video link.
A special anti-terrorism court has issued a show cause notice to the Superintendent of Adiala Jail after Imaan Mazari and her husband, Haadi Ali, were not presented in court via video link.
Show cause notice: Court Proceedings
The proceedings took place before Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra of the Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court, who was hearing the case concerning the non-submission of power of attorney documents required for filing bail applications. Despite the court’s order, officials at Adiala Jail failed to provide the signed documents from both lawyers. No jail authority appeared in court, although a significant number of lawyers, including Shireen Mazari, were present.
Bail Granted
The court granted bail to Imaan Mazari and Haadi Ali, overturning the trial court's decision. The couple was released on a surety bond of 200,000 PKR.
Contempt of Court
Despite the court's directives, both Imaan Mazari and Haadi Ali were not presented via video link. In response, the judge issued a contempt of court notice to the Superintendent of Adiala Jail, questioning why a six-month sentence should not be imposed. Judge Sipra stated, "The jail superintendent should not place the courts against the wall, nor should he himself be placed against a wall." It was reported by court staff that there were ongoing issues with the internet connection for video presentations, which was initially cited as the reason for the delays.
The judge recalled that previous technical problems had led to orders for experts from PTCL and NTC to resolve such issues, emphasizing that obtaining power of attorney documents is a fundamental right of the accused. Following these remarks, the court adjourned the session until Tuesday while issuing the show cause notice.
