Escalating legal dispute between advocate Imaan Mazari and IHC chief justice

Human rights lawyer Advocate Imaan Zainab Mazari has taken significant legal steps amid ongoing disputes with the Islamabad High Court (IHC). She has filed a reference against the IHC Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar before the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), marking an escalation in their already tense relationship. The move follows a series of disagreements and incidents that have brought their conflict into the public eye.

The dispute intensified after the IHC administration, acting on Chief Justice Dogar’s orders, reassigned the authority to hear workplace harassment complaints from Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz to Justice Inaam Amin Minhas. This decision was viewed as a contentious move and added to the strain between Mazari and the court’s leadership. The change in jurisdiction sparked further controversy and accusations of interference in judicial processes.

The tension between Mazari and the Chief Justice came to a head during a court hearing involving a petition to remove Baloch politician Dr Mahrang Baloch’s name from the Exit Control List (ECL). During the proceedings, heated exchanges reportedly took place, with Chief Justice Dogar warning Mazari of potential contempt proceedings. The incident drew widespread condemnation from various lawyers’ associations, many of whom called for the Chief Justice’s removal due to his conduct.

Following this incident, Mazari lodged formal complaints against Chief Justice Dogar with the High Court’s workplace harassment committee and the SJC. In her statements, she alleged that Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz was abruptly removed from her post despite having already formed a three-member committee to investigate her complaints. Mazari argued that this move demonstrated a lack of transparency and reflected how harassment allegations by women are often not taken seriously in the judicial system.

Mazari further claimed that she faced deliberate attempts to obstruct her work. She accused authorities of using investigative agencies, including cybercrime units, to exert pressure on her. She revealed that the Interior Ministry had formed a special prosecution team against her, with a challan already filed in a trial court and scheduled for immediate hearing. She urged the SJC to investigate these allegations, accusing Chief Justice Dogar of misconduct and misuse of authority designed to hinder her professional activities and her clients’ rights.

In addition to her complaints against the Chief Justice, a separate reference has been filed with the Islamabad Bar Council seeking to revoke her license to practice law. The petition alleges that Mazari has been involved in anti-state activities, including campaigns against state institutions. It also accuses her of having links with proscribed organizations such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), and leaders of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM).

Mazari responded to these allegations by stating that she and her supporters have only called for accountability regarding enforced disappearances and the release of Dr Mahrang Baloch. She clarified that a tweet supporting her stance was misinterpreted and that her advocacy remains focused on human rights issues rather than any anti-state activities. Both her complaints and the bar council’s reference are currently pending before their respective forums, awaiting further legal action.