SC issues notices on Imaan Mazari, Hadi Chattha appeals seeking suspension of sentences

Accepting the appellants' request, the Supreme Court issues notices to the Additional Attorney General and other respondents and adjourns the hearing until July 21

ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-July 7th, 2026) The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notices to the Federal government and other respondents on a petition seeking suspension of the sentences awarded to lawyer Imaan Mazari and Barrister Hadi Ali Chattha, while observing that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) should hear and decide their pending applications for sentence suspension.

A SC three-member bench headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, and comprising Justice Mussarat Hilali and Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan, was hearing the appeal.

During the proceedings, counsel for the petitioners, Faisal Siddiqi, informed the court that despite an earlier Supreme Court order directing the IHC to decide the sentence suspension applications within two weeks, the matter had yet to be heard.

He submitted that the applications were initially fixed for hearing on May 20 and later adjourned to June 4. However, the June 4 cause list was cancelled, and the case has not been relisted since. He added that an application seeking an early hearing had also been filed before the IHC but was returned without being entertained.

The counsel urged the apex court to ensure that the pending applications are heard and decided, regardless of the outcome, arguing that the petitioners were only seeking an opportunity for the case to be taken up.

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Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar observed that the Supreme Court ordinarily does not interfere in interim matters pending before high courts. However, he noted that in the present case, the Islamabad High Court had not even issued notices to the prosecution.

Accepting the petitioners' request, the Supreme Court issued notices to the Additional Attorney General and other respondents and adjourned the hearing until July 21.

The petition seeks suspension of the sentences awarded to Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha while their appeals remain pending before the Islamabad High Court.

Earlier, on May 12, another three-member Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Shahid Waheed had directed the IHC to decide the sentence suspension applications preferably within two weeks. Despite that direction, the applications remain pending.

Meanwhile, the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has also challenged the Supreme Court's earlier order directing the Islamabad High Court to decide the applications within a specified timeframe.