Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar spoke about a dispute with lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir. The issue started during a Thursday court hearing about removing activist Mahrang Baloch from the Exit Control List. Justice Dogar said his words were misunderstood, causing a big debate. The topic came up again on Friday during another case about a citizen named Abdul Jabbar.
On Thursday, Justice Dogar warned Mazari about contempt of court after she reportedly called him a “dictator.” On Friday, he said he saw Mazari as “like a daughter” and was trying to guide her, not scare her. He told her she could disagree with his decisions but should not make personal attacks. Justice Dogar denied saying he would “get hold of” Mazari. Instead, he said he asked her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, to calm her down or face contempt charges.
Imaan Mazari’s Reaction
Imaan Mazari, a well-known lawyer, posted on X that she acts as a professional in court, not an activist. She said her client’s case should not suffer because of a judge’s personal issues with her. Mazari called Justice Dogar’s comments “sexist” and said he harassed her in court. She insisted she is a lawyer, not a “child” or “daughter.” Mazari thanked the Lahore High Court Bar Association for supporting her and said Justice Dogar should not be a judge.
پہلے تو چیف جسٹس صاحب نے بدتمیزی کی، مجھے میری کام کی جگہ پر harass کیا اور کھلی عدالت میں دھمکی دی۔ اپنے کیے ہوئے پر شرم تو انہے آئی نہیں اور آج بھی sexist ریمارکس پاس کر رہے ہے۔ میں نا تو انکی بیٹی ہوں اور نا ہی “بچی”، میں ایک پروفیشنل وکیل ہوں۔ طوفان بدتمیزی کر کے اب کہتے ہے… https://t.co/0WKXdlHOte
— Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir (@ImaanZHazir) September 12, 2025Legal groups quickly criticised Justice Dogar. The Lahore High Court Bar Association said his behaviour broke judicial rules. They believe lawyers deserve the same respect as judges. The group asked the Supreme Judicial Council to remove Justice Dogar. Female lawyers also called his remarks “sexist” and “wrong,” saying contempt laws should protect justice, not scare lawyers. The Karachi Bar Association agreed, saying Justice Dogar’s actions hurt the court’s fairness. They asked Pakistan’s top judicial bodies to look into the matter and stressed that judges and lawyers must respect each other.
Grateful to Lahore High Court Bar Association for this much-needed statement which is crystal clear.
CJ Dogar must go home.
He is not fit to be a judge. pic.twitter.com/lvZfUbDq9X
— Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir (@ImaanZHazir) September 12, 2025Hadi Ali Chattha, Mazari’s husband, posted on X that Justice Dogar lied about his remarks. He said the judge did mention “getting hold of” Mazari and called him unfit to be a judge. Chattha also claimed Justice Dogar was controlling the high court unfairly, adding to the debate.
Read: Justice Sarfraz Dogar Warns Imaan Mazari of Contempt Proceedings
This clash shows tensions between Pakistan’s judges and lawyers. It raises questions about how judges should act and whether lawyers can work without fear. Justice Dogar’s explanation tries to calm the situation, but Mazari and legal groups continue to demand accountability.
