HR Activist Imaan Mazari’s Husband, Advocate Hadi Ali Chatha, Taken Into Custody
Advocate Hadi Ali Chatha, the husband of human rights lawyer and activist Imaan Mazari, was arrested in Islamabad on Wednesday following the issuance of his arrest warrants by a local court during the hearing of a controversial tweet case.
During the proceedings, the court ordered that Chatha be taken into custody and produced before it the following day. The case hearing was subsequently adjourned until tomorrow.
According to sources, the arrest occurred shortly after the hearing concluded. As Chatha stepped out of the courtroom, officials from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) handcuffed and detained him on the court’s premises.
Earlier, on September 30, the same court had framed charges against both Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chatha in the same case, though neither of the accused was present during that hearing.
My husband @AdvHadiali has been arrested because Judge Majoka is insistent on committing misconduct. Hadi appeared in court today and despite his appearance the tout judge ordered his arrest. pic.twitter.com/oon3pF20RR
— Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir (@ImaanZHazir) October 29, 2025
The NCCIA has registered a case against the couple under multiple sections of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), including Sections 9, 10, 11, and 26.
Also Read: Authorities are directed to notify IHC prior to arresting Imaan Mazari in any case
According to the contents of the First Information Report (FIR), the two lawyers are accused of using social media to incite hatred and division on ethnic grounds. The FIR further alleges that both individuals, through their posts, attributed responsibility for the issue of missing persons in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan to the country’s security forces.
Both Mazari and Chatha have consistently denied the allegations, stating that their online remarks were intended to highlight human rights issues and demand accountability for enforced disappearances.
The arrest has reignited debate over freedom of expression, digital rights, and the growing use of cybercrime laws to curb dissent in Pakistan.
