Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar on Thursday warned renowned rights activist and lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir of a contempt of court case for allegedly calling him a “dictator”.

A heated exchange between the two took place during the hearing of a plea filed on behalf of rights activist Dr Mahrang Baloch, who has been in custody since March. The petitioner had sought the removal of Mahrang’s name from the Exit Control List (ECL), which restricts a person’s travel abroad.

Mazari was representing her in the court, when, at one point, the IHC chief justice remarked, “If I issue any order in this case, then Miss Mazari would go downstairs and hold a programme, [saying] that a dictator is sitting [here].”

At this, Mazari maintained she had said “no such thing that could be considered outside the boundaries of the law”.

“You should also remain within the boundaries of respect,” Justice Dogar then told Mazari.

At that, Mazari clarified that “whatever I have said was in a personal capacity”, adding that “it should not affect the client’s case.”

“If you have any prejudice against me, don’t let the client’s case get affected. I have come here with a brief, not in a personal capacity,” the lawyer added.

At this point, Justice Dogar remarked, “You commented that I am not a judge but sitting here as a ‘dictator’. Should we not initiate contempt of court proceedings against you?”

It is not clear which instance of Mazari calling him a dictator the judge was referring to.

Responding to the judge, Mazari said, “I have not said anything beyond the jurisdiction of the law and Constitution. If you want to initiate contempt of court proceedings, then please do so. The Constitution has given me the right to freedom of expression, which is what I have used.”

Addressing Mazari’s husband, the IHC chief justice then said: “Hadi sahib, make her understand; if I get hold of her someday …”

Mazari then quipped, “If we are at a stage where courts will threaten lawyers, then go ahead with contempt of court [proceedings].”

After the hearing today, Mazari posted on X that “it is important for CJ IHC to understand that I am not activist Imaan Mazari in his court, I am a lawyer holding a brief for my client and conduct myself according to professional etiquette (and a court should do the same).”

She reiterated that Mahrang Baloch’s case “should not suffer because of any grievances a judge may have with her lawyer over the right to freedom of expression in a personal capacity”.

Mazari is known to be vocal in her criticism of Pakistani authorities. In June, she won the World Expression Forum’s Young Inspiration Award 2025 on for her efforts and work advocating for the rule of law and justice in the country.

On Monday, an additional district and sessions court in Islamabad granted interim bail to Mazari and her husband in a case registered against them on the charges of alleged anti-state activities on social media. In the same case today, the court accepted the pre-arrest bail plea of the couple.

According to the first information report (FIR) of the case, registered by the National Cybercrime Investigation Agency, Mazari and Chatha were accused of attempting to incite divisions on linguistic grounds through social media posts and of creating the impression that the armed forces were engaged in terrorism within the country.

The FIR alleged that they held security forces responsible for cases of missing persons in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

It stated that Mazari and Chatha had portrayed the armed forces as ineffective against proscribed groups, including Balochistan Liberation Army and Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.

Mazari was also among the voices calling for a probe into allegations made by six IHC judges against interference in judicial affairs by the country’s intelligence apparatus in March.

The same month, an Islamabad court had issued arrest warrants for Mazari and Pashtun Tahaffuz Move­ment leaders Ali Wazir and Manzoor Pash­teen due to their repeated failure to appear in a case concerning an alleged anti-state march.