Barrister Salman Akram Raja, the counsel for human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir, clarified on Wednesday that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has decreed his client cannot be arrested for any cases filed post-August 20, the date of her arrest. The IHC has demanded a record of all First Information Reports (FIRs) against Imaan countrywide for judicial scrutiny. As per Barrister Raja’s interpretation of the court’s decision, any FIR against Imaan dated after August 20 would not lead to her arrest. He expressed confidence in seeking relief from the court, otherwise considering other avenues like protective bail. Barrister Raja emphasized that the Constitution upholds the fundamental rights of every citizen, regardless of popular opinion on their statements.
Events Leading to the Case
On August 20, Mazari and ex-lawmaker Ali Wazir were detained following Mazari’s claims on social media platform X of unidentified intruders at her residence. After being granted bail in a sedition case, she was arrested once more outside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi on August 28. The subsequent arrest, confirmed by Islamabad police, cited a terrorism case at Bhara Kahu police station. An anti-terrorism court then granted the police a three-day physical remand of Imaan on August 29. While the new FIR remains confidential, a seen copy reveals charges under the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Pakistan Penal Code. The FIR was lodged following a complaint by a local, Shahzad, involving Imaan, Wazir, and others, relating to a meeting with a supposed human rights activist named Kamran Khan.
Read: Human Rights Attorney Imaan Mazari Granted Three-Day Remand to Islamabad Police
Read: Human Rights Lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir Re-Arrested after Bail Approval
