Tweets case: Mazari files appeal in SC

Advocate Imaan Mazari has approached the Supreme Court, seeking suspension of her sentence in a case related to making "anti-state" posts on social media. The human rights lawyer has moved the apex court after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) did not list her application for suspension of her 17-year sentence for hearing. Mazari filed the petition through renowned lawyer Faisal Siddiqi. The petition states that despite her counsel's vehement request to suspend the trial court's judgment, the IHC only issued notices on the suspension application on February 19 and did not suspend the petitioner's sentence. It argues that the trial court's order was completely illegal and clearly mala fide, as it violated due process requirements under Articles 10 and 10A of the Constitution, breached mandatory provisions of Sections 526, 233, 234, 353, and 367 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1898. The order also contravened binding IHC orders, denied Mazari the right to counsel of choice and the right of cross-examination, and recorded the accused's statement without her consent. It also involved appointing a state counsel against her wishes, relied on inadmissible documents including an analysis report and even on admitted record, and failed to establish any offence under Sections 9, 10, and 26A of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 (PECA). "On the urgent application for early hearing filed by the petitioner, the IHC, through a further order dated 27-02-2026, neither granted the early hearing request nor fixed any date for it, but instead referred the matter to the IHC chief justice." It says that because the petitioner's criminal appeal was not fixed before the IHC, early hearing applications were subsequently filed on her behalf. "However, to the shock and surprise of the petitioner, the office of the IHC, through an administrative order dated 05-03-2026, returned the early hearing application on the ground that the previous early hearing application was still pending." It remains to be seen whether the SC office will list Imaan Mazari's petition against the IHC interim order for hearing. If the petition is assigned a number, a three-judge committee of Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi, Justice Munib Akhtar, and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail will decide on the listing of the case.