The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday suspended the 17-year prison sentences handed to lawyer and rights activist Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, in a controversial social media posts case.
A two-member Supreme Court bench comprising Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim heard the couple’s appeals against the Islamabad High Court’s refusal to suspend their sentences.
The court also granted bail to both Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha against surety bonds of Rs200,000 each. Their release on bail will remain in place until the Islamabad High Court gives its final decision in the case.
An Islamabad sessions court had sentenced both lawyers to 17 years in prison each on January 24, 2026, under multiple provisions of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) in connection with their social media posts.
The couple subsequently challenged their convictions before the Islamabad High Court and sought suspension of their sentences. The matter remained pending for several months before the Supreme Court intervened.
The Supreme Court’s latest order does not finally overturn the convictions; the cases remain pending before the Islamabad High Court.
