Five Witnesses Testify as Tweets Case Deferred to Dec 23

APP

Islamabad: A District and Sessions Court in Islamabad on Thursday recorded statements of five witnesses in a case related to controversial tweets involving Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chatha, and adjourned further proceedings until December 23.

The hearing was conducted by Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka.

At the outset, counsel for Imaan Mazari sought an adjournment until 11:00 am. The court observed that recording of witness statements had already been deferred a day earlier at the defence’s request and noted that other cases were also scheduled for hearing later in the morning.

The prosecutor informed the court that witnesses were present and argued that repeated delays were creating an impression that the prosecution was under pressure. The court subsequently granted a brief adjournment until 10:00 am.

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When proceedings resumed, neither Imaan Mazari nor Hadi Ali Chatha appeared before the court. A junior counsel informed the judge that Mazari was present before the High Court in connection with a bail matter. The judge remarked that an accused absent from their own case could not appear in another case simultaneously and warned that proceedings would continue in line with High Court directions if the accused failed to appear by 10:30 am.

Following another short adjournment, both accused appeared before the court, after which the recording of evidence commenced.

Two witnesses from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency, Waseem and Imran Haider, recorded their statements. Waseem produced his national identity card but stated that his service card was not available at the time, while Imran Haider submitted both his national identity card and service card.

During the proceedings, Hadi Ali Chatha raised an objection, stating that the allegedly disputed tweets had not been presented before the court and requested that they be made part of the judicial record.

After recording statements of five witnesses, the court adjourned the hearing until December 23. On the next date, defence counsel for Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chatha are expected to cross-examine the prosecution witnesses.