A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Monday issued non-bailable arrest warrants for lawyer and human rights activist Imaan Mazari and her husband, advocate Hadi Ali Chatha, in a case linked to a controversial tweet concerning state and national security institutions.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka ordered police to arrest the couple and present them before the court on September 24.
The warrants were issued after Mazari and Chatha failed to appear despite an earlier summons. Their lawyers sought cancellation of the warrants, but the judge dismissed the request on the spot. The hearing has now been adjourned until September 24.
Background and context
The timing of the warrants has raised eyebrows. Just days earlier, on September 11, Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar sparked outrage after making remarks widely condemned as sexist and derogatory towards Mazari during a court hearing. Dogar told her husband, advocate Hadi Ali Chatha, “Hadi sahib, make her understand; if I get hold of her someday …” a comment that triggered condemnation from bar associations and rights groups across the country.
Mazari rejected the paternalistic framing, saying she is a professional lawyer, not a “daughter” or “child” as the judge had referred to her. Rights bodies have since called for Dogar’s removal by the Supreme Judicial Council, terming his remarks unbecoming of judicial office.
It is not a coincidence, observers note, that arrest warrants in an older case have now resurfaced at the same time Mazari is publicly challenging the judiciary. She has openly called out the inappropriate language used against her, and many believe the authoritiies will use every available legal tool to push her against the wall.
Previous arrests
Iman Mazari has faced multiple arrests in recent years. In August 2023, police detained her alongside former lawmaker Ali Wazir in a sedition case. Although she secured bail after more than a week, she was re-arrested outside Adiala Jail the same day in connection with a terrorism case. An Islamabad anti-terrorism court later granted her bail on September 2, 2023.
In October 2024, Mazari and Chatha were again arrested by Islamabad police for allegedly creating a security risk during the England cricket team’s visit by removing road barriers. A video shared online appeared to show the couple moving the barriers to allow traffic through.
