The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday disposed of appeals filed by human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband, fellow lawyer Hadi Ali Chattha, in the security breach case against them, observing that the matter had become infructuous before the top court. The decision leaves it to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to decide whether the couple's appeals before it can be maintained.

A three-member bench headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar heard the couple's appeals against an IHC order concerning their trial court proceedings. The bench disposed of the petitions, bringing the Supreme Court chapter of this particular challenge to a close while the couple's challenge to their convictions continues before the high court.

The convictions under challenge

The development comes days after Mazari and Chattha approached the IHC to challenge their convictions by an anti-terrorism court (ATC). On 29 October, the Rawalpindi ATC sentenced both of them to 10 years in prison and imposed a fine of Rs100,000 each under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

The case was registered at Aabpara Police Station in Islamabad and relates to an incident in October 2024, when the couple allegedly removed security barriers on a road in the capital during the movement of a visiting international cricket team. Prosecutors said the act created a security risk; the couple have contested the charges and the use of anti-terrorism law in the case.

A long-running legal battle

The security breach case is one of several proceedings the couple have faced. On 17 September 2026, the Supreme Court granted them bail and suspended 17-year sentences imposed on each of them under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) for social media posts, ordering their release. Before they could be freed, however, they were re-arrested in the anti-terrorism case and held on judicial remand.

The couple had petitioned the Supreme Court on 26 October, contesting the IHC's decision to refuse a stay of the trial proceedings and seeking a transfer of the case to another court. The ATC went on to deliver its verdict on 29 October, three days after that petition was filed.

What happens next

With the Supreme Court appeals now disposed of as infructuous, the focus shifts back to the Islamabad High Court, which must decide whether the couple's appeals against their convictions are maintainable and, if so, hear them on their merits. Until the high court rules, the 10-year sentences imposed by the ATC stand.

The case has drawn attention from international civil society organisations, which have condemned the use of anti-terrorism legislation against the two lawyers and raised concerns about the fairness of the proceedings. The couple's supporters argue the barrier incident was an ordinary, minor matter that should never have been treated as terrorism; prosecutors maintain the security arrangements for a visiting foreign team made it a serious offence.

Sources: Newsora24 and Daily The Destination.