Pakistani Rights Lawyer Imaan Mazari-Hazir and Husband Arrested in Islamabad
In a development that has sparked widespread condemnation from legal circles, Pakistan's prominent human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, advocate Hadi Ali Chattha, were arrested on Friday while traveling to a court in Islamabad. The incident occurred as the couple was en route to the Additional District and Sessions Court to appear in a case related to controversial social media posts.
Arrest Details and Immediate Reactions
According to reports from news agency PTI, arrest warrants had been issued against the lawyer couple on January 16 after the court cancelled their interim bail. The arrest was confirmed by Imaan's mother, Dr Shireen Mazari, a former federal human rights minister in the Imran Khan government. She stated that her daughter and son-in-law were detained without explanation and taken to undisclosed locations.
In a post on social media platform X, Dr Mazari revealed that "they have been arrested, put in separate cars, and taken away to unknown locations." She emphasized that no arrest warrant or formal document was shown to them at the time of detention. Describing the incident as a sign of repression, she wrote: "Fascism at its peak. Emasculated men in power must be so pleased with this achievement!"
Allegations of Police Violence and Video Evidence
Dr Mazari shared videos on social media that showed police vehicles following the lawyers' car before blocking it on the road. The footage depicted officers opening car doors, surrounding the vehicle, and attempting to pull the occupants out. Another clip showed shattered car windows, which Mazari alleged were broken by police during the arrest.
In a separate post, she claimed that police had used force not only against the couple but also against senior members of the legal fraternity who were accompanying them. "Seems they (police) used violence on Imaan and Hadi also," Mazari wrote, suggesting that the arrest was carried out to prevent further embarrassment to authorities during court proceedings.
Legal Community's Strong Condemnation and Protest Warnings
Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) president Wajid Ali Gilani, who was present at the scene, stated that the arrest violated assurances given by authorities that the lawyers would be allowed safe passage to court. In a video message shared by Mazari, Gilani described how police attacked the convoy near Serena Chowk, broke car windows, forcibly removed the couple, and pushed Imaan into a police vehicle.
Gilani also alleged that police officials assaulted IHCBA secretary Manzoor Jajja during the incident. He issued a stern warning: "The authorities should stop this oppression. If they do not, then the 2007 lawyers' movement will be launched again," referring to the mass protests that once challenged military rule in Pakistan.
The Islamabad High Court Bar Association, Islamabad Bar Association (IBA), and Islamabad Bar Council (IBC) issued separate statements condemning the arrests, calling them illegal and unconstitutional. The IHCBA and IBA announced a strike on Friday, while the IBC called for a nationwide lawyers' strike on Saturday. These bar councils demanded the immediate release of the couple and an independent inquiry into the conduct of involved police officials.
In their statement, the IBA emphasized that the arrest violated fundamental rights guaranteed under Pakistan's Constitution, stressing that "every citizen has the right to defend themselves in court without fear."
Background of the Case Against the Couple
The primary case against Mazari-Hazir and Chattha originates from a complaint filed in August 2025 with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA). The complaint accused Mazari of spreading content allegedly aligned with banned organizations, with her husband implicated for reposting some of this material.
They were indicted in October last year, and arrest warrants were issued after repeated non-appearances led to the cancellation of their interim bail. Additional cases linked to protests and an alleged scuffle outside the Islamabad High Court have also been filed against them, some of which remain under judicial review.
This arrest has reignited concerns about legal protections and human rights in Pakistan, with the legal community mobilizing in response to what they perceive as an unconstitutional action against one of their own.
