ATC serves contempt notice to Adiala jail superintendent in Imaan, Hadi case

• ATC judge says vakalatnamas basic right of accused.
• Judge Tahir Abbas adjourns hearing until Tuesday.
• Shireen Mazari, other lawyers appear before court.

ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad on Saturday issued a contempt of court show-cause notice to Adiala jail's superintendent in a case related to the bail applications of lawyer and human rights activist Imaan Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha.

ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Supra conducted the hearing a day after ordering jail authorities to present Mazari and Chattha via video link in a case registered against them at the Secretariat Police Station.

Despite the court's order, the couple could not be produced through video link during today's proceedings.

The Adiala jail authorities also failed to provide the signed powers of attorney (akalatnamas) of both lawyers, while no jail official appeared before the court.

Mazari's mother, Shireen Mazari, and a large number of other lawyers also appeared before the court.

During the hearing, the court staff told the judge that jail authorities were citing an internet connectivity issue for the failure to produce the accused through video link.

There was an internet issue in one case, the judge remarked, adding that jail officials repeatedly said the internet was not working properly.

Judge Supra said that he had first ordered PTCL and then NTC to send experts to the jail, adding experts were also ordered to be sent from Haripur to the jail.

During the hearing, the judge asked, "Did the deputy superintendent of the jail collect your vakalatnamas from the sessions court that day?"

Lawyer Riasat Ali replied that he did not know whether jail authorities collected the documents after they submitted them at the sessions court for dispatch to the jail in compliance with the court's order.

Receiving powers of attorney is a basic right of an accused, the judge said, adding that the jail superintendent should neither push the courts against the wall nor put himself against the wall.

The court then issued a contempt of court show-cause notice to the Adiala jail superintendent and asked why he should not be sentenced to six months' imprisonment.

After issuing the contempt of court notice, Judge Supra adjourned the hearing until Tuesday.