Prominent Pakistani human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, advocate Hadi Ali Chattha, were arrested on Friday while travelling to a court in Islamabad, triggering strong condemnation from legal bodies and rights activists who described the action as unconstitutional.
The couple was en route to the Additional District and Sessions Court to appear in a case related to controversial social media posts when police intercepted their vehicle. According to news agency PTI, arrest warrants had been issued against them on January 16 after the court cancelled their interim bail.
The arrest was confirmed by Imaan’s mother, Dr Shireen Mazari, former federal minister for human rights in the Imran Khan government. She said the couple was detained without explanation and taken to undisclosed locations.
In a post on X, Mazari wrote that her daughter and son-in-law “have been arrested, put in separate cars, and taken away to unknown locations,” adding that no warrant or formal documentation was shown at the time of arrest, according to Dawn. Calling the incident a sign of repression, she said: “Fascism at its peak. Emasculated men in power must be so pleased with this achievement!”
Mazari also shared videos on social media that appear to show police vehicles following the couple’s car before blocking it on the road. In the footage, officers are seen opening the doors, surrounding the vehicle and attempting to pull the occupants out. Another clip showed shattered windows, which she alleged were broken by police during the arrest.
In a separate post, she claimed that police used force not only against the couple but also against senior lawyers accompanying them. “It seems they used violence on Imaan and Hadi as well,” she wrote, alleging the arrest was intended to prevent embarrassment to authorities during court proceedings.
Bar leaders allege violence, warn of protests
Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) president Wajid Ali Gilani, who was present at the scene, said the arrests violated assurances that the lawyers would be allowed safe passage to court.
In a video message shared by Mazari, Gilani alleged that police attacked the convoy near Serena Chowk, broke car windows, forcibly removed the couple and pushed Imaan into a police vehicle. He also claimed that police assaulted IHCBA secretary Manzoor Jajja during the incident.
“The authorities should stop this oppression. If they do not, then the 2007 lawyers’ movement will be launched again,” Gilani warned, referring to the nationwide 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 as illegal and unconstitutional.
The IHCBA and IBA announced a strike on Friday, while the IBC called for a nationwide lawyers’ strike on Saturday. The bar bodies demanded the immediate release of the couple and an independent inquiry into the conduct of the police officials involved.
In a statement, the IBA said the arrests violated fundamental rights guaranteed under Pakistan’s Constitution, stressing that “every citizen has the right to defend themselves in court without fear.”
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) also strongly condemned the arrests. In a post on X, the organisation said: “HRCP demands immediate disclosure of their whereabouts and holds the authorities fully responsible for any harm. Ms Mazari-Hazir and Mr Chattha must be released immediately.”
What is the case about?
The main case against Mazari-Hazir and Chattha stems from a complaint filed in August 2025 with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), accusing Mazari of sharing content allegedly aligned with banned organisations. Her husband was implicated for reposting some of the content.
They were indicted in October, and arrest warrants were issued after repeated non-appearances led to the cancellation of their interim bail.
Additional cases related to protests and an alleged scuffle outside the Islamabad High Court have also been filed against them, some of which remain under judicial review.
